2015 Beacon Recipients

Feb 04, 2016

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American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognizes 130 hospital units nationwide with Beacon Award for Excellence

Beacon Award for Excellence lauds top hospital units that employ evidence-based practices to improve patient, family outcomes and align those practices with AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards


ALISO VIEJO, Calif.
– Feb. 4, 2016 – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recognizes 130 units from 105 hospitals nationwide that earned the Beacon Award for Excellence between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2015. (View recipient list.)

The Beacon Award for Excellence lauds hospital units that employ evidence-based practices to improve patient and family outcomes. The Beacon Award provides Gold, Silver and Bronze levels of recognition to hospital units that exemplify excellence in professional practice, patient care and outcomes. Recognition continues for three years.

Beacon-designated units meet criteria in five categories that are consistent with criteria for national awards, including Magnet recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and National Quality Forum's Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. Units that receive the award demonstrate practices that align with AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards.

Recipients of a Gold-level Beacon Award demonstrate staff-driven excellence in sustained unit performance and improved patient outcomes that exceed national benchmarks. Silver-level recipients demonstrate continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care. Bronze-level awardees demonstrate success in developing, deploying and integrating unit-based performance criteria for optimal outcomes.

In 2015, three units at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, received Gold-level Beacon Awards and three received Silver. With the addition of these units, the hospital now has seven Beacon-recognized units.

“We see the Beacon Award as recognition of the excellent experience provided to patients, families and our nurses,” said Mary Tonges, RN, PhD, NEA-BC, FAAN, UNC Hospitals’ senior vice president and chief nursing officer. “For patients and families, it’s recognition of exceptional care, which involves both excellent clinical quality and an excellent patient experience. For nurses, it means providing an environment that supports the excellent care they provide while also supporting their own workplace well-being.”

Additionally, VCU Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, had three units recognized in 2015, including two that received Gold-level recognition. With the addition of these units, VCU becomes the first hospital with 10 Beacon-recognized units.

In all, 32 units received Gold-level Beacon Awards, the Beacon Award’s highest distinction, including two units each at Boston Children’s Hospital and Cleveland Clinic.

Fifteen additional hospitals had multiple units honored with an award, demonstrating excellence in caring for high acuity and critically ill patients and their families.

AACN President Karen McQuillan, RN, MS, CNS-BC, CCRN, CNRN, FAAN, a clinical nurse specialist at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, praises the exemplary efforts of the unit caregivers who achieved the Beacon Award for Excellence.

“The caregivers in these units are healthcare professionals committed to the best in patient care,” McQuillan said. “The continued growth of the Beacon Award program shows the commitment of caregivers and their hospitals to work together to achieve healthy work environments that support excellent care of patients and their families.”.

AACN honors units that earn the Beacon Award for Excellence during the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI), the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families. The next NTI takes place in New Orleans, May 16-19 (with preconferences May 15). For more information about the Beacon Award for Excellence, visit www.aacn.org/beacon.

About the Beacon Award for Excellence: Established in 2003, AACN’s award recognizes top U.S. hospital units that meet standards of excellence in recruitment and retention; education, training and mentoring; research and evidence-based practice; patient outcomes; leadership and organizational ethics; and creation of a healthy work environment. Award criteria — which measure systems, outcomes and environments against evidence-based national criteria for excellence — provide a mechanism to initiate patient safety efforts. To learn more about the award, visit www.aacn.org/beacon or call 800-899-2226.

About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 225 chapters worldwide. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.

2015 Beacon Award Recipient List by State

A C D F G H I K M N O P S T V W

Alabama
  • Intensive Care Unit, Coosa Valley Medical Center, Sylacauga (Bronze)
  • Cardiovascular Surgery Recovery Unit, Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham (Bronze)
Arizona
  • Intensive Care Unit, Banner Baywood Medical Center, Mesa (Silver)
  • Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, John C. Lincoln Hospital, Phoenix (Bronze)
California
  • Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento (Bronze)
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit, University of California Irvine Health, Orange (Gold)
  • 6 West Surgical Progressive Care Unit, Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego (Silver)
  • Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit 3 East, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Torrance (Bronze)
  • Adult Intensive Care Unit, Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica (Silver)
  • 7 West Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Keck Medicine of USC, Los Angeles (Silver)
  • Kaiser Woodland Hills Critical Care Unit, Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Woodland Hills (Gold)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Orange (Gold)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles (Gold)
Colorado
  • Intensive Care Unit 6n/6s, Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver (Silver)
  • Intermediate Care Unit, St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center, Grand Junction (Silver)
  • Neuro Intensive Care Unit, University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora (Silver)
Connecticut
  • Intensive Care Unit, Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk (Silver)
  • Sister Louise Anthony 2, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven (Bronze)
Delaware
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit, Christiana Care Health System, Newark (Gold)
  • Wilmington Intensive Care Unit, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington (Silver)
District of Columbia
  • C42 Medical Intensive Care Unit, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington (Silver)
  • C43 Surgical Intensive Care Unit, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington (Gold)
Florida
  • 5 Main Multispecialty and Progressive Care Unit, Baptist Hospital of Miami, Miami (Silver)
  • The Family Birth Place, Baptist Hospital of Miami, Miami (Silver)
  • Critical Care Unit, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston (Bronze)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, Orlando (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Florida Hospital Celebration, Celebration (Silver)
  • Vascular Thoracic Intensive Care Unit, Florida Hospital Medical Center, Orlando (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Larkin Community Hospital, South Miami (Bronze)
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit/Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville (Silver)
  • Cardiac Acute/CP1, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota (Silver)
  • Critical Care Unit, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota (Silver)
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, Orlando (Silver)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Wolfson Children's Hospital, Jacksonville (Gold)
Georgia
  • Coronary Care Unit, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta (Silver)
  • 71 Medical Intensive Care Unit, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta (Bronze)
  • 11 Intensive Care Unit - Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta (Gold)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Gwinnett Medical Center, Lawrenceville (Bronze)
  • Intensive Care Unit/Intermediate Care Unit, Gwinnett Medical Center, Duluth (Gold)
Hawaii
  • Queen Emma Tower 4c, The Queen’s Medical Center, Honolulu (Silver)
Illinois
  • Intensive Care Unit, La Grange Memorial Hospital, La Grange (Silver)
  • Medical Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge (Bronze)
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge (Gold)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Rush-Copley Medical Center, Aurora (Silver)
Indiana
  • Neuro Critical Care Unit, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis (Silver)
  • Multi-Specialty Critical Care Unit, Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis (Silver)
Iowa
  • Coronary Intensive Care Unit, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Des Moines (Silver)
  • Adult Critical Care Unit, Unity Point Health, Des Moines (Silver)
  • 4 Roy Carver Pavilion, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City (Gold)
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City (Silver)
  • Surgical & Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City (Silver)
Kentucky
  • “Just For Kids” Critical Care Center, Kosair Children's Hospital, Louisville (Silver)
Maryland
  • Multitrauma Intermediate Care 6, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore (Silver)
Massachusetts
  • Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston (Gold)
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston (Gold)
  • Heart & Vascular Critical Care and Progressive Care, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield (Gold)
Minnesota
  • Telemetry, CentraCare, St. Cloud (Silver)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, Saint Paul (Gold)
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit, Mayo Clinic Rochester St. Mary’s, Rochester (Silver)
Missouri
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis (Silver)
Nevada
  • Sierra Intensive Care Unit, Renown Regional Medical Center, Reno (Silver)
New Hampshire
  • Intensive Care Unit, Exeter Hospital, Exeter (Silver)
New Jersey
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack (Silver)
  • Coronary Care Unit, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack (Silver)
  • Cardiac Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown (Silver)
  • Coronary Care Unit, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown (Silver)
  • Adult Intensive Care Unit, St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick (Silver)
  • Voorhees Intensive Care Unit, Virtua West Jersey Hospital, Voorhees (Gold)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Virtua West Jersey Hospital, Marlton (Silver)
New York
  • Cardiopulmonary Surgery Unit, Albany Medical Center, Albany (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre (Bronze)
  • Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn (Gold)
  • Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany (Silver)
  • Cardiac Catheterization Lab, University Medical Center, Stony Brook (Bronze)
North Carolina
  • Acute and Intermediate Coronary Care Unit, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill (Gold)
  • Medicine Progressive Care Unit, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill (Gold)
  • Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill (Gold)
  • 5 Bedtower, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill (Silver)
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill (Silver)
  • 6 Bedtower, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill (Silver)
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Vidant Medical Center, Greenville (Gold)
North Dakota
  • Critical Care Unit, Essentia Health, Fargo (Bronze)
Ohio
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Akron Children’s Medical Center, Akron (Silver)
  • Heart Failure Intensive Care Unit, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland (Gold)
  • Coronary Intensive Care Unit, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland (Gold)
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit/Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland (Silver)
  • 4 Ross, Ohio State University Ross Heart Hospital, Columbus (Gold)
  • Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland (Silver)
  • Heart and Vascular Intensive Care Unit, Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton (Silver)
Oregon
  • Critical Care Unit, Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, Tualatin (Bronze)
  • Critical Care Unit, Portland VA Research Foundation, Portland (Silver)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel, Portland (Gold)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Rogue Valley Medical Center, Medford (Bronze)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Salem Hospital, Salem (Silver)
Pennsylvania
  • Neuro-Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr (Silver)
  • Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, Forbes Regional Hospital, Monroeville (Bronze)
  • Adult Intensive Care Unit, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville (Gold)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville (Silver)
  • Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Nursery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Silver)
  • Progressive Care Unit, Paoli Hospital, Paoli (Silver)
  • Heart and Vascular Progressive Care Unit, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey (Gold)
  • Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey (Silver)
  • Critical Care Unit, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia (Silver)
South Carolina
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia (Silver)
  • 5 East Acute Cardiovascular Unit, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Silver)
  • Neuroscience Intermediate Unit/9 East, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Silver)
Texas
  • Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, Acuity Hospital of South Texas, San Antonio (Bronze)
  • Medicine Intensive Care Unit, Bexar County Hospital District, San Antonio (Silver)
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital of San Antonio-CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health, San Antonio (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Unit, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital Medical Center, San Antonio (Silver)
  • Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas (Silver)
  • Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, Houston (Silver)
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, Austin (Silver)
  • Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Texas Health Harris Methodist, Fort Worth (Gold)
  • Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital, Arlington (Bronze)
  • Critical Care Unit, Texas Health Presbyterian Plano, Plano (Gold)
  • P7 Thoracic/Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (Silver)
Virginia
  • Neuro Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Carilion Roanoke Memorial, Roanoke (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg (Silver)
  • Wendel 1, Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville (Silver)
  • Cardiovascular Telemetry, Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News (Bronze)
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery Progressive Care Unit, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond (Silver)
  • Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond (Gold)
  • Acute Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond (Gold)
Washington
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital Medical Center Seattle, Seattle (Silver)
  • Intensive Care Unit, Swedish Health Services, Seattle (Silver)
  • Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Swedish Medical Center Providence, Seattle (Silver)
  • 5 East Medical Surgical Transplant Intensive Care Unit, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle (Silver)
  • Medical Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, University of Washington Medicine Harborview Medical Center, Seattle (Gold)

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