Mercer Health’s Childbirth Center has been recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a “Gold Safe Sleep Hospital.” The designation was awarded due to the center’s commitment to following best practices and providing education on infant safe sleep.
Cribs for Kids®, a national infant safe sleep organization based in Pittsburgh, PA, created the program with the goal of reducing sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and accidental suffocation. As a Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital, Mercer Health follows guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and provides training programs for healthcare team members and family caregivers at the highest available designation level.
Dr. Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., neonatologist and medical director of research at Cribs for Kids, explains that sleep-related deaths (SRD) are responsible for over 3,500 infant deaths in the U.S. every year. By modeling safe sleep in hospitals and educating families, he believes that these preventable deaths can be significantly reduced. The Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program recognizes hospitals like Mercer Health that are taking an active role in this movement to reduce infant mortality.
Ashley Piper, RN, OB Clinical Coordinator for Mercer Health’s Childbirth Center expressed pride in their efforts to join this national movement to promote safe sleep for infants from day one. She stated that they have always been advocates of safe sleep and believe that their participation in the Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program is an important step towards providing families with evidence-based information about safe sleeping practices.
For more information about the Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program visit https://cribsforkids.org/hospitalcertification/. To learn more about Mercer Health’s Childbirth Center visit https://mercer-health