St. Rose Dominican Hospitals Receive Prestigious Baby-Friendly Re-Designation
LAS VEGAS, November 26, 2019 – Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican is proud to announce that both the Siena and San Martín hospitals have again achieved the prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA, the organization responsible for bestowing this certification in the United States.
St. Rose Siena and San Martín hospitals first earned this designation in 2014 and remain the only facilities in southern Nevada to achieve the Baby-Friendly designation.
The Baby-Friendly designation demonstrates that both the Siena Campus and the San Martín Campus are adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. These standards are built on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the precious first days of a newborn’s life.
The positive health effects of breastfeeding are well documented and widely recognized by health authorities throughout the world. The Surgeon General’s 2011 Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding stated that “Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for both mothers and children.”
Siena and San Martín hospitals are among more than 592 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States and 20,000 facilities around the world, which are committed to providing an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family.
Mr. Lawrence Barnard, Dignity Health Nevada Market Leader and President/CEO of the Siena Campus, said, “We are extremely proud to be recognized for the hard work of our team members throughout the Baby-Friendly designation process. The staff at Siena is committed to providing the support, education and resources mothers need to successfully initiate breastfeeding and continue after they leave our care.”
Ms. Kimberly Shaw, President and CEO of the San Martín Campus said, “San Martín has long been a recognized leader in the care of women and newborns, being named Best Place to Have a Baby in the local RJ Readers’ Poll again this year. The Baby-Friendly designation is a tribute and validation of our commitment to ensuring that every woman who delivers a baby here is provided the resources and support needed to help her and her baby get the best, healthiest start in life.”
Additional information on the Baby-Friendly Designation, the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, and the evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is available at babyfriendlyusa.org.
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About Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican
As the community’s only not-for-profit, faith-based health system, Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican has been guided by the vision and core values of the Adrian Dominican Sisters since 1947. As the Henderson and Las Vegas communities grow, the St. Rose Dominican health system and its nearly 4,000 employees will continue the Sisters’ mission of serving people in need. St. Rose Dominican is a member of the multi-state Dignity Health network of 10,000 physicians, more than 60,000 employees, 41 acute care hospitals and 400-plus care-centers including neighborhood hospitals, urgent care, surgery and imaging centers, and primary care clinics.
About Baby-Friendly USA
As the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the United States, Baby-Friendly USA is responsible for upholding the highest standards in infant feeding care by coordinating and conducting all activities necessary to confer the prestigious Baby-Friendly designation and ensure the widespread adoption of the BFHI in the US. Learn more about Baby-Friendly USA and the BFHI at www.babyfriendlyusa.org.
Publish date:
Tuesday, November 26, 2019