National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program Recognizes Harrison Memorial Hospital
Harrison Memorial Hospital (HMH) was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a silver level for their commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep.
The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created by Cribs for Kids®, a national infant safe sleep organization. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Cribs for Kids is dedicated to preventing infant sleep-related deaths due to Sudden unexpected infant death and accidental suffocation. As a Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital, HMH is recognized for following the safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and providing training programs.
To be designated a Silver Certified Safe Sleep Leader the hospital must:
1. Develop and maintain a Safe Sleep Policy;
2. Provide staff, serving infants and children under the age of one year, with training on infant safe sleep.
3. Provide infant safe sleep education to the parents of infants prior to discharge.
4. Make use of wearable blankets in the Well-Baby Nursery as applicable.
5. Record progress and report successes with the use of our PDSA tool.
“Sleep-Related Death (SRD) results in the loss of more than 3,500 infants every year in the U.S.,” said Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., neonatologist and medical director of research at Cribs for Kids®. “We know that modeling safe infant sleep in the hospital and providing education to families has a significant effect on infant mortality. Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program is designed to recognize those hospitals that are taking an active role in reducing these preventable deaths.”
The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created in partnership with leading infant health and safety organizations such as All Baby & Child, The National Center for the Review & Prevention of Child Deaths, Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs, Kids in Danger, Children’s Safety Network, American SIDS Institute, Charlie’s Kids, CJ Foundation for SIDS, and numerous state American Academy of Pediatric chapters and health departments.
According to Judith A. Bannon, Executive Director and Founder for Cribs for Kids®, “The certification program launched in 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA, home of the Cribs for Kids® national headquarters. Hundreds of hospitals across the US are certified. We welcome HMH to this expanding group of committed hospitals. This will have a profound effect on saving babies’ lives.”
“I am proud of our mother and baby staff members for achieving the silver level certification from the National Safe Sleep Program,” says Dr. Stephen Toadvine, HMH Chief Executive Officer. “HMH is always at the forefront in providing education to all patients. With this program certification, it validates the ongoing efforts by the staff in providing education to new parents.”
The HMH Obstetrics Department includes labor and delivery/patient suites that rival those of any larger medical center. The department also includes state-of-the-art technology and privacy for each patient. HMH offers the expertise of qualified board–certified OB/GYNs. HMH also has newborn care providers who are board-certified pediatricians and family medicine physicians. HMH also has a nursing staff with over 150 years of experience in the field.
For more information about HMH’s obstetrical services, please visit our website at www.harrisonmemhosp.com.
For more information on the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program visit http://www.cribsforkids.org/safesleephospitalcertification/.