August 15, 2020 San Joaquin General Hospital’s Family Maternity Center has received the national award for its efforts toward Safe Sleep education. Safe Sleep education is an educational program to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). San Joaquin General Hospital was among 400 hospitals nationally that were recognized for exceptional maternity education and follow-through. The Hospital’s maternity Department is now Safe Sleep certified by the Cribs For Kids, a national hospital and health organization dedicated to the prevention of SIDS. The Maternity Dept. received a “gold” rating, the highest level of achievement with a 5 year certification.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the unexpected death of infants less than a year old. SIDS, also known as crib death, is most common during sleep. Safe Sleep is a national maternity education program that all hospital’s conduct in some manner. SIDS is dangerous because there are usually no signs that indicate that the threat of SIDS is eminent. The annual death rate of SIDS is approximately 2,500. SIDS is the third leading cause nationally of infant mortality. The risk for SIDS peaks between 2 and 3 months of age, and it occurs more often in male infants than in females. African American children are two to three times more likely than Caucasian children to die of SIDS, and Native American infants are three times more likely than Caucasians to succumb to SIDS. The annual incidence of SIDS has declined since 1992, a finding commonly attributed to Safe Sleep educational efforts nationally.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hospital’s maternity department has taken every precaution to continue its maternity education with special steps to stay connected with mothers and babies locally. The Hospital’s Family Maternity Center and NICU have made special internal adjustments in the era of COVID-19 to safeguard young mothers with dependable care that meets the highest standards of mother & child safety and quality.
Safe Sleep education has been a critical aim of Physicians and Nurses within the Hospital’s Family Maternity Department. They have teamed together to advance Safe Sleep education and fulfill a department-wide goal beginning several years earlier. Earning national certification and being recognized with an award was a team effort and required bilingual educational skills, and one-on-one education with support. San Joaquin General prides itself on its staff fluent in Spanish language skills, as well as, other languages of area residents.
For more information visit our website at: www.sanjoaquingeneral.org/maternity-service
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