Description
The Milk Technician is a critical member of the NICU clinical support team, responsible for the safe and precise handling of Expressed Breast Milk (EBM) and Donor Human Milk (DHM). This role ensures that our most vulnerable patients receive the correct nutrition by managing the end-to-end process of receipt, verification, scanning, sterile preparation, and distribution. All duties are performed in strict professional adherence to infection prevention standards, hospital policy, and regulatory requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical Preparation & Fortification
- Precision Compounding: Prepare patient-specific feeds by following complex recipes and fortification orders (e.g., Prolacta, HMF, modulars, and cream).
- Sterile Technique: Maintain a sterile work environment using proper PPE and aseptic techniques to prevent contamination during the portioning and mixing process.
- Unit-Dose Portioning: Accurately portion milk into syringes or bottles based on specific feeding volumes and schedules.
- Labeling Integrity: Generate and apply electronic tracking labels (Timeless), ensuring 100% accuracy in patient identifiers, ingredients, and expiration timing.
Inventory & Chain-of-Custody
- Intake & Verification: Receive milk from drop-off locations, verifying labels against patient MRNs and resolving any discrepancies immediately.
- Electronic Tracking: Utilize the Timeless tracking system to scan every container, documenting volume, expression time, and storage location.
- Cold-Chain Management: Monitor and document refrigerator/freezer temperatures; ensure all milk is stored (Fresh vs. Frozen) in designated bins to maintain product integrity.
- Safety Audits: Conduct routine checks for expiring milk, low supply, or damaged containers; escalate issues to leadership or dietitians as needed.
Operational Flow & Distribution
- Clinical Coordination: Review feeding orders throughout the shift, prioritizing prep for time-critical patient needs.
- Delivery Rounds: Transport prepared feeds to the NICU, completing required nurse handoffs or placing product in designated patient bins.
- Shift Maintenance: Perform opening and closing duties, including sanitizing work surfaces, restocking supplies, and providing a comprehensive handoff report of remaining inventory to the next shift.
Qualifications / Minimum Requirements
- Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- Technical Skills: Proficient with electronic tracking systems (e.g., Timeless) and basic computer applications.
- Competencies: Exceptional attention to detail; ability to follow rigorous sterile protocols and complex mathematical recipes (fortification ratios).
- Communication: Ability to collaborate effectively with nurses, RD/LDs, and NICU leadership in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Experience
- Prior experience in a NICU milk lab, pharmacy compounding (cleanroom), or clinical dietary service.
- Experience with Prolacta or other specialized human milk fortifiers.
- Knowledge of cold-chain logistics and medical inventory management.
Compliance & Physical Requirements
- Safety: Must comply with all hospital hand hygiene, PPE, and HIPAA privacy standards.
- Schedule: This role supports a 24-hour operation; shift times, weekends, and holiday rotations are based on unit needs.
- Reliability: Strict adherence to the 24-hour cancellation notice policy for all scheduling changes.
Company Overview
We are an equal opportunity employer and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. We strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), marital or familial status, age, physical or mental disability, perceived disability, citizenship status, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, height, weight, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Applications from members of minority groups and women are encouraged.
#Norwalk
