Congratulations are in order for Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center! Both facilities were recently recognized by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) for excellence in lactation care. Specifically, they received the IBCLC Care Award, which recognizes having staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) certification while also providing a lactation program for breastfeeding families.
“Through the presentation of this award, the IBLCE is honoring the work of our team as we strive to advance public heath by providing expert lactation care to families,” Colleen Ross, RN, BSN, MSN, IBCLC, a lactation consultant and prenatal education instructor at St. Francis Medical Center, shares (pictured above, left).
For St. Francis Medical Center specifically, Colleen is hopeful that receiving this award will help:
- Reassure families that our ministry makes breastfeeding a priority
- Continue to provide excellent care in helping new families reach their breastfeeding goals
- Reaffirm to our team members our collaborative commitment to making improvements in breastfeeding outcomes
- Advocate for the benefits of breastfeeding on a hospital-wide policy level
“This award affirms our hard work and commitment to promoting the importance of breastfeeding,” Sharon Filegar, BSN, RNC-MNN, Clin IV, IBCLC at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital (pictured with team members above, right), states. “It is an honor to be recognized for our dedication to advance breastfeeding in the hospital setting. St. Mary’s Hospital is one of eight hospitals in the state of Virginia to receive this award.”
In order to receive this recognition at St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center, these facilities had to demonstrate that our ministry provides training for our nursing, medical and other team members that care for breastfeeding families. Additionally, the facilities had to implement special projects that promote, protect and support breastfeeding as well as the lactation consultant profession.
Learn more about the maternity and birthing care services we offer at Bon Secours.
