FARMINGTON — Franklin Memorial Hospital recently was named Silver Safe Sleep Champion by the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program. The certification recognizes the hospital for its commitment to keeping infants safe in their sleep environment and eliminating as many sleep-related deaths as possible, according to a news release from the hospital.
Kristen Viger, a registered nurse, was the certification project’s leader as part of her clinical ladders project. Photo courtesy of Franklin Memorial Hospital
“Sleep-Related Deaths result in the loss of more than 3,500 infants every year in the U.S.,” said Dr. Michael H. Goodstein, neonatologist and medical director of research at Cribs for Kids®, according to the release. “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 path to silver level certification began with a comprehensive infant safe sleep policy. Other steps to certification included replacing receiving blankets in the hospital with wearable blankets or sleep sacks, training the care team on safe sleeping guidelines, developing a plan to educate parents about safe sleep before they leave the hospital and modeling safe sleep behaviors in the hospital.
About 250 babies are delivered at Franklin Memorial Hospital each year.
“This achievement represents our dedication to patient safety and is a component of our commitment to providing new parents with resources to create a healthy environment for their new babies,” said MaryAnne Goodwin, BSN, RN, nursing director.
According to Goodwin, the only step that prevented the hospital from earning the gold level recognition was to jointly host two community outreach events on safe sleep practices, which will happen in the coming months in collaboration with the Franklin County Children’s Task Force.
Will Liberty to start at Richmond Area Health Center
RICHMOND — The staff at Richmond Area Health Center has announced the addition of Will Liberty, a clinical social worker, to the practice this spring upon the retirement of Judith Day, who has assisted HealthReach patients with behavioral health concerns since 2012, according to a news release from Lindsey Moran, communications outreach specialist, HealthReach Community Health Centers, based in Waterville.
Liberty, who is scheduled to start at the end of April, brings social work experience in outpatient, school, home hospice and palliative care settings with people of all ages. His areas of expertise include trauma (PTSD), depression, anxiety, grief/bereavement, intellectual disabilities, chronic pain/illness, hospice care and LGBTQ issues. He utilizes therapeutic modalities such as cognitive behavioral, supportive, brief solution-focused, narrative, interpersonal and family.
He obtained both his undergraduate degree in social and behavioral sciences and graduate degree in social work at the University of Southern Maine.
Liberty will join physicians Linda Hermans, Michael Landrum and Henry Scheuller as well as nurse practitioners Elizabeth Kerr, Melissa Hackett, Tom Bartol and Marta Hall. Area residents and visitors from Richmond, Gardiner, Litchfield, Dresden, Bowdoinham, as well as Augusta and surrounding communities, utilize the health center .
Newport dealership to offer free vehicle maintenance package to local health care workers
NEWPORT — Hartley’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram hopes to ease the stress of health care workers in the area by offering a free vehicle maintenance package to employees of Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital. Hartley’s announced Thursday morning that starting this week, employees can take advantage of free services, including oil and filter changes, tire rotation and state inspection, as well as numerous other discounts to help lessen the burden of vehicle repair, according to a news release from the dealership.
“With everything going on right now, it just seems like the right thing to do,” said Adam Friend, General Manager at Hartley’s, according to the release.
In addition to this package, employees of Northern Light SVH can also benefit from Hartley’s contactless service, which offers free vehicle pick up and drop off at the customer’s location at no extra cost and the ability to accept payment over the phone.
“Our health care workers are on the front lines, taking care of our neighbors and loved ones, and risking their own health in the process,” said Friend. “When we asked ourselves what we can do to help, this is what we came up with.”
For more information about the package, or to schedule service, Northern Light SVH employees are invited to contact Hartley’s at 356-5751.
Compiled from submitted news releases. For more business briefs, visit CentralMaine.com.
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