AWHONN Expands Respectful Maternity Care Program with New Training and Hospital Designation Phase

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) today announced a major expansion of its Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Program. Now entering the Capacity Building and Designation Phase, the initiative aims to scale up implementation nationwide and recognize hospitals committed to improving maternity care experiences.

A key component of this phase is the launch of the Respectful Maternity Care Train-the-Trainer (RMC-TTT) program. Designed to build workforce capacity and ensure sustainability, RMC-TTT will educate healthcare staff on essential principles such as respect, dignity, informed consent, and shared decision-making. It also includes tailored implementation support, expanded patient education, and multilingual resources for patients with limited English proficiency.

Hospitals participating in the program will be eligible for tiered recognition through AWHONN's new designation system. Bronze Level Designation will be awarded to facilities that demonstrate successful implementation of RMC practices. Silver and Gold Levels will follow, based on measurable improvements in patient experience and outcomes. Hospitals must undergo regular review to maintain their designation status.

The RMC initiative is supported by Huggies® Healthcare™, whose sponsorship helped develop the Respectful Maternity Care Evidence-Based Guideline (RMC-EBG) and Implementation Toolkit (RMC-IT), released in March 2022. With continued backing from Huggies, the expanded program will run through 2030, bringing respectful, high-quality maternity care to more hospitals across the U.S.

This initiative reflects AWHONN's commitment to promoting equity and compassion in childbirth by equipping nurses and care teams with the tools to deliver patient-centered, respectful care to all women and newborns.

Contact: Shannon Doolin, AWHONN
Phone: 202-261-2410
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE AWHONN