Development of a hospital-academic collaboration to implement an interprofessional telehealth breastfeeding support group

ABSTRACT

Accessible lactation support for breastfeeding parents, even in well-resourced areas, is often insufficient. At the same time, opportunities for real-life, sustainable interprofessional learning experiences for health professions students are scarce. Delivery of lactation support via telehealth allows for greater accessibility for both consumers and students. This study describes the development of an interprofessionally-facilitated telehealth breastfeeding support group, a partnership between a health professions graduate school and a teaching hospital in Boston, MA. Program conceptualization, theoretical basis, and development are reviewed. Occupational therapy and nursing students were involved in the group at various points of entry and with different degrees of engagement. Students developed skills in group facilitation, lactation support, and program evaluation. The group had consistent participation, ranging from 2 to more than 10 participants per session, serving parents across urban and rural areas. The group format and development could be replicated to provide needs for local communities of parents and interprofessional students.

KEYWORDS:

• Breastfeeding
• health professions education
• interprofessional collaboration
• interprofessional education
• lactation support
• telehealth support group

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Amanda Mack

Dr. Amanda Mack, is an assistant professor of occupational therapy and medicine, and the PP-OTD program director at Washington University.

Mary O’Donnell

Dr. Mary O’Donnell, is instructor of occupational therapy at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Amelia Henning

Amelia Henning, is a Certified Nurse Midwife and director of the Lacation Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Samantha Lauren Bernstein

Dr. Samantha L. Bernstein, is Assistant Professor and nurse-scientist at the MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, and a staff nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital.