Community Hospital of San Bernardino (CHSB) has just been designated Baby Friendly by the Baby Friendly organization, an initiative sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). This designation makes the hospital one of only 60 Baby Friendly Hospitals in the United States.
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative is an international program whose goal is to "encourage and recognize hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for lactation," i.e. breastfeeding. The initiative is based on the overwhelming evidence that babies live longer and healthier lives if they are breastfed. A maternity facility can be designated Baby Friendly when it has implemented 10 specific steps to support successful breastfeeding and established processes to facilitate infant attachment and bonding.
Diane E. Nitta, VP Operations/Chief Nurse Executive, credits success for this distinction to the profound dedication, commitment and vision of all those hospital-wide that were involved in the two-year plus effort. She also noted, "The timing of the Baby Friendly designation couldn't be better as Community Hospital of San Bernardino is experiencing a record number of births this summer." In August there were 304 deliveries, the highest number of monthly births in the hospital's history. So far, September is looking to be even busier at this Baby Friendly Hospital.
About Community Hospital of San Bernardino
Community Hospital of San Bernardino is a private, non-profit 321-bed acute care hospital that has served the Inland Empire community since 1910. Its services include an emergency room, acute inpatient care, obstetrical services, inpatient and outpatient surgery, behavioral health services and long term neurological care for adults and children. Affiliated with Catholic Healthcare West, Community Hospital of San Bernardino is non-denominational.
The hospital is recognized for its excellence in patient care, its wide array of community education and health services and its family-friendly environment. It is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the nation's leading accrediting organization for hospitals. Approximately 12,000 patients are admitted to Community Hospital of San Bernardino each year and more than 100 people are treated each day in its Emergency Room. With more than 1,200 employees, it is one of the largest employers in the Inland Empire, and earned recognition as a Top Company to Work For in the Inland Empire in 2004.
Community Hospital of San Bernardino is located at 1805 Medical Center Drive, between Highland and Baseline in the city of San Bernardino. The website is www.chsb.org.
