Virtual Lactation Education in a Pandemic

Abstract

In March of 2020, most of the United States received "stay at home" orders to decrease the transmission rates of COVID-19. All sectors of life were affected, including lactation education and lactation resources. Many private practice International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) had to pivot their practices to provide telehealth only. The pandemic forced facilities to restrict or deny a student's access to onsite clinical preceptors. Lactation interns were no longer able to complete their clinical hours. In the short term, this prevented interns from graduating, taking the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) exam, and pursuing employment opportunities. The long-term implications are a diminished lactation workforce and reduced access to care for breastfeeding families. This article describes how one West Coast university developed a low-cost virtual simulation program to continue the clinical lactation education of its interns.

Assessing the Landscape of Lactation Education: Results of a Pilot Survey

“…Alternates to the OSCE have been considered in other fields of healthcare, with specific recommendations for continuing education processes and the development of simulation technology to assist in assessment (Ali, 2020; Eva et al, 2016). The COVID-19 pandemic put pressure on the field of lactation, and lactation simulation technology made advancements during this time, but the effectiveness of these programs has not been assessed (Chamberlain & Westmoreland Miller, 2022).…”