Cultivating Collaboration: Using the Breastfeeding Human Medicine Interprofessional Education (IPE) to Build Breastfeeding Knowledge and Skills among Healthcare Professionals

Creating Access to Lactation Education through a Virtual Simulation Program

Healthcare professionals working with new families play a profound role in infant feeding decisions. This includes physicians, midwives, and nurse practitioners, as well as pharmacists, dentists, nurses, dietitians, social workers, psychologists, physical/occupational therapists, and many others. Interprofessional education (known as IPE) is an important component of professional training for healthcare professionals. The centerpiece of IPE is building competence while cultivating patient-centered care in a collaborative team environment. The Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) worked with Inspire Health and the University of Mississippi Medical School to create the first online breastfeeding IPE module, which is now available free of charge for lactation consultants working to improve breastfeeding knowledge and skills among healthcare professionals in their community. Breastfeeding Human Medicine has a special focus on addressing disparities, and includes engaging “real life” video scenarios, interviews, interactive Q&A, and other learning components that can be learned at the user’s own pace. The interactive ILCA concurrent session will highlight creative options for using these new resources to engage local health professionals, improve referrals to IBCLCs, reduce disparities, foster consistent messaging, build collaboration among staff in disciplines caring for pregnant and breastfeeding families, and improve provider breastfeeding knowledge, skills, and confidence. The session will spotlight ways to integrate the IPE into academic curricula, satisfy Baby-Friendly’s training requirement for healthcare providers, and engage community providers and organizations that serve vulnerable families.

Credit: 1 L-CERP

Source: ILCA Virtual Conference August, 2022 - Raleigh, North Carolina, US

Presented by: Cathy Carothers, IBCLC (Every Mother, Inc)

Upon completion, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the role of varied healthcare professionals as they relate to breastfeeding/chestfeeding promotion and support.
2. Identify key components of Interprofessional Education (IPE) for healthcare professionals and students.
3. Describe ways lactation consultants can use the Breastfeeding Human Medicine IPE course to increase breastfeeding knowledge and skills among community healthcare professionals.

Disclosures: ILCA accepts no commercial support for continuing education activities. The activity planners have no conflicts of interest to declare. 

Disclosures: Cathy Carothers has received CHAMPS grants to assist with IPE promotion

CERPs: ILCA is an approved provider of Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) with the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). (CLT-108-7).