Registered Nurse (Women's Health Program; IBCLC)

Quick Facts

• Role: Registered Nurse (Women's Health Program; IBCLC) – Maternity Care Coordinator and Lactation Consultant

• Focus: Reproductive health services across pregnancy, lactation, and postpartum for women Veterans

Description

Provide seamless, Veteran-centered maternity and lactation care through clinical expertise, care management, patient education, and collaboration with VA and community providers. Serve as the primary point of contact for pregnant Veterans, coordinating prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum services, and delivering expert IBCLC lactation assessment, counseling, and individualized feeding plans. Ensure timely follow-up, psychosocial screening/referrals, and accurate documentation in CPRS/VistA.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary contact for pregnant Veterans; provide education, navigation, and support across prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum phases

• Coordinate maternity care (referrals, scheduling, and communication with VA and community maternity partners)

• Track maternity care episodes, ensure timely follow-up, and document all care activities in CPRS

• Screen for psychosocial needs, social determinants of health, mental health, and substance use; refer and follow up as appropriate

• Facilitate multidisciplinary case conferences for complex cases

• Provide expert lactation assessment, support, and counseling during prenatal and postpartum periods

• Deliver individualized breastfeeding/chest-feeding education, addressing common and complex lactation challenges

• Develop, implement, and monitor individualized feeding plans for medically or psychosocially complex Veterans

• Educate staff/providers on lactation best practices and promote a breastfeeding-friendly environment

• Maintain IBCLC certification and participate in ongoing professional development

• Ensure seamless transitions between fertility, maternity, and lactation services

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in CPRS/VistA

• Participate in women's reproductive health quality improvement (data collection, analysis, and best-practice implementation)

• Provide education and outreach to Veterans and staff regarding available women's health services, including maternity and lactation support

• Maintain required certifications and participate in ongoing training in maternity, lactation, and infertility care

• Serve as a resource/mentor to Women's Health staff on maternity care and lactation

• Collaborate with VA and community partners to enhance care coordination and service delivery

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship (non-citizens only when permitted by VA policy)

• English language proficiency for direct patient care

• Graduate of an accredited nursing program (ACEN or CCNE) OR meet VA-approved equivalency/bridge pathway requirements

• Current full active unrestricted RN licensure

• 1 full and unrestricted RN license from any U.S. state or territory

• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation

• Complete background/security investigation

• Seasonal influenza vaccination program participation required

• Must complete online onboarding and all required pre-employment steps/identification requirements

• May be required to serve a probationary period

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular increases and potential performance awards

• Paid time off: 50 days/year (26 annual leave, 13 sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays)

• Retirement: traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions

• Insurance: federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care options