POSITION SUMMARY:

The Birth Sister I provides non-clinical, physical, emotional and evidence-based informational support and assistance to the birthing person and family. Participates as a liaison with clinical care providers involved in the birthing person's prenatal, birth and postpartum care.

Position: Birth Sister I

Department: Birth Sisters Program

Schedule: Per Diem

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Prenatal Period:

• Facilitates communication between the birthing person, the family and the clinical care providers over the course of the entire perinatal period.
• Initiates and provides various prenatal appointments and counsels clients on the topics of general pregnancy health, the stages of pregnancy, nutrition and exercise, culturally-sensitive birth preferences, preparing for labor and delivery, the stages of labor, common methods of induction and augmentation, common interventions, non-clinical pain management, the miles circuit and laboring exercises, pushing positions and breathing, breastfeeding, fundamental newborn care, postpartum mental health and the transition to life with an infant.
• Assesses social determinants of health and provides resources and preliminary navigation to ensure access to necessary services.
• Provides video and phone check-ins, in between appointments, as necessary.

Labor and Childbirth:

• Responds to pager alerts within one hour.
• Manages the implementation and execution of the individualized birth plan.
• Maintains bedside presence and ensures emotional comfort of birthing person throughout labor.
• Suggests and provides non-clinical physical comfort measures as requested by the client, such as massage, compress application, implementation of water in shower or tub, hip squeezes, counter pressure, stretches, etc.
• Provides information and instruction in the placement and use of the peanut ball, birthing ball, wedged pillows and other tools for optimal labor progression.

Postpartum Period:

• Provides in-hospital follow-up with birthing person within 24 hours of delivery
• Arranges and provides at least one in-home postnatal visit within seven days of delivery to discuss physical postpartum healing, breastfeeding success, mental/emotional health, etc.
• Escalates conflicts, as they arise, to pertinent internal departments and teams and external programs
• Provides additional home visits, as needed and as requested, in order to provide additional support with light tasks, newborn care, etc.
• Provides ongoing postpartum video and phone check-ins to ensure smooth transition into and throughout the fourth trimester.

General:

• Documents all patient encounters and interactions appropriately and immediately.
• Maintains ongoing communication with Birth Sister management.
• Adheres to hospital standards of performance and conduct, including those pertaining to patient rights and advocacy, so as to promote and maintain the highest level of customer service.
• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.
• Performs other duties as needed.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• High School Diploma or GED required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Within 90 days of hire, must complete:

• Basic doula training from an accredited, certifying doula education program (24 hours)
• BMC Birth Sisters education (12 hours)
• BMC Birth Sisters hands-on labor training (36 hours)
• BMC Birth Sisters perinatal visit shadowing (12 hours)
• BMC childbirth education course (12 hours)

Within 180 days of hire, must complete:

• Supervised labor hours as primary Birth Sister (36 hours)
• Supervised perinatal visit hours as primary Birth Sister (12 hours)
• One-on-one professional development coaching with management (12 hours)

Training is provided and compensated. Must maintain any and all Birth Sisters training and education requirements, which are subject to change.

EXPERIENCE:

Prior experience in social services, maternal health, health education, patient navigation or patient care preferred, but not required.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Ability to speak, write and read English. Bilingual or multi-lingual skills appropriate to the patient population served may also be required for some positions.
• Must have cultural sensitivity and be comfortable serving socially and clinically high risk patients with a variety of needs.
• Must exhibit strong interpersonal skills in order to instill confidence in and advocate for patients and their family.
• Must be able to demonstrate empathy, active listening skills and exemplary bedside manner.
• Must be willing to work collaboratively with Birth Sisters team, OBGYN administration and members of the clinical care team.
• Must be comfortable with and around bodily fluids.
• Knowledge and experience in the neighborhoods of Boston preferred.

SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Flexible schedule required
• Availability for on-call work (reliable transportation required)
• Ability to conduct in-home visits (reliable transportation required)

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans