Clinical Skills
Cathy Carothers, IBCLC
Co-Director
Every Mother, Inc.
Pass Christian, Mississippi, United States
CHAMPS (Other Financial or Material Support, Receive funding from CHAMPS grants to assist with IPE promotion.)
Abstract: 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.
Publication: The Breastfeeding IPE described in the concurrent session is now available on the website of Inspire Health at https://breastfeeding.inspire-health.org/global/
Diversity and Inclusion: The Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) is a global organization that works to bring about health equity by collaborating with community based partners and providing technical assistance, training, evaluation, and inspiration. The organization centers on supporting underserved and vulnerable populations, with a particular emphasis on maternal child health and nutrition. CHEER has a diverse workforce, with the current team based in US states and 12 nations, speaking 17 languages. CHEER also collaborates with many partnering organizations that actively work to reduce racial inequities and health disparities. The IPE being featured in the concurrent session was intentionally developed with interviews, photos, and content that feature both providers and patients representing diverse populations. The IPE also includes specific teaching on the importance of addressing racial disparities and options for addressing inequities.
Disclosures: Cathy Carothers has received CHAMPS grants to assist with IPE promotion
Lead Author: Cathy Carothers, IBCLC – Every Mother, Inc.
Lead Author: Cathy Carothers, IBCLC – Every Mother, Inc.
Lead Author: Cathy Carothers, IBCLC – Every Mother, Inc.
Lead Author: Cathy Carothers, IBCLC – Every Mother, Inc.