Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Posted by: Mary Elkordy

Every Woman, Every Baby has recently awarded two hospitals the Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP4). The hospitals that received POEP4 were both hospitals that expressed why our education program would help their nurses provide better health outcomes to their patients. The hospitals that were awarded were Medical West Hospital in Bessemer, Alabama and Montrose Memorial Hospital in Montrose, Colorado.

Montrose Memorial Hospital is a non profit community hospital serving five rural counties over 100-square mile radius in Western Colorado. Their patient population is wide and diverse. It consists of young families, retired individuals, and a large Hispanic community. This hospital delivers 425 babies a year. Due their hospital being a stand alone facility and is located several hundred miles away from any metropolitan area where their nurses could have access to educational programs their hospital was chosen as one of our award recipients.

Alabama leads the nation in infant deaths and Medical West Hospital, located in the largest county in the state, is working to reduce those numbers. The challenge is 80% of their deliveries over the past 21 months are either uninsured or at the poverty level. As a result, their budget is limited for education programs that help keep up their staff’s competency level high. This education program can educate their staff to up to date practices and help them improve the care for their patients.

“Montrose Memorial Hospital and Medical West Hospital are both tremendously deserving hospitals to receive POEP4” said AWHONN’s Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Erdman, MN, RN, FAAN. “We look forward to seeing them utilize this education program to not only educate their nurses but to also help them improve the care of their patients”

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For media interviews, contact:
Mary Elizabeth Elkordy for AWHONN
(202) 261-2447
melkordy@awhonn.org

About Every Woman, Every Baby:
Every Woman, Every Baby is the charitable giving arm of AWHONN.  Contributions to Every Woman, Every Baby support lifelong learning for nurses, research that leads to improving nursing practice and patient care, and education and activities that provide information and resources for women and their families. Support AWHONN through Every Woman, Every Baby by making a tax-deductible gift at www.AWHONN.org/Donate

About AWHONN
Since 1969, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) has been the foremost authority promoting the health of women and newborns and strengthening the nursing profession through the delivery of superior advocacy, research, education, and other professional and clinical resources. AWHONN represents the interests of 350,000 registered nurses working in women’s health, obstetric, and neonatal nursing across the United States. Learn more about AWHONN at  www.awhonn.org.