About This Role
This night-shift role involves providing continuous emotional and physical support to women in labor and their immediate families. The support extends from the duration of labor into the early postpartum period.
Responsibilities
- Assist the laboring woman, partner, and family with supporting patient choices, breathing, relaxation, guided imagery, physical comfort measures for pain relief, and obtaining necessary information to make good decisions during labor
- Maintain a continuous presence with the laboring woman/partner throughout labor and delivery, beginning within 2 hours of patient admission or when labor begins to progress, and doula is contacted once patient is admitted to GBMC
- Provide emotional support through encouragement, praise, and respite care during labor
- Facilitate communication between the laboring woman, partner, and health care providers
- Request permission for position mobility through the medical staff at all times
- Promote family-infant attachment in the postpartum period
- Offer breastfeeding support and guidance if the patient chooses to breastfeed
- Communicate in writing the birth experience and outcome to the doula coordinator within 48 hours of the delivery
- Communicate verbally to the doula coordinator the outcome of the birth, express the relationship formed with the family, and describe areas of potential improvement and/or communication strengths
- Contact family with a follow-up phone call and offer postpartum support contact information through the GBMC Doula Touch Program
Requirements
- HS or GED
- Heart Saver (CPR Certification)
- Certification to include: attendance of an approved Birth Doula Training Course and 3 independent, evaluated, and documented births (not including your own physical deliveries)
- Experience providing continuous labor support under the supervision of a nurse or nurse midwife and/or licensed Obstetrician with a minimum of three well-documented clients after taking a Doula Training Course
- Knowledge of childbirth theory and practice
- Work experience in labor and delivery or previous childbirth experience
- Ability to effectively communicate with expectant couples and healthcare providers in stressful situations
- Non-judgmental guidance for pain management
- Ability to manage many tasks simultaneously
- Knowledge of cultural and religious birth traditions with the ability to support and respect patient
Important Details
About the Company
GBMC HealthCare operates with values of Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Teamwork, Ethical Behavior, and Results.
