21 Hospital Units Recognized for Critical Care Excellence

November 26, 2007 - The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) announced that 21 units from 17 hospitals in 13 states recently received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence. This award recognizes the nation’s top hospital critical care units.

As Beacon Award recipients, these units have demonstrated quantitative success when measured against evidence-based national criteria in areas that impact patient care:

• Recruitment and retention

• Education, training and mentoring

• Research and evidence-based practice

• Patient outcomes

• Leadership and organizational ethics

• Healing environment

“The commitment to high-quality standards and dedication to exceptional care of patients and their families have brought clear, valuable recognition to these units and institutions. Earning a Beacon Award sends a clear message that these units are providing exceptional care and that their commitment to evidence-based practice is unwavering,” said Dave Hanson, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNS, President, AACN. “They have set examples that serve as beacons for other hospitals and healthcare facilities to use in navigating the rough waters of acute and critical care nursing.”

The units that achieved Beacon Award status in Fall 2007 are:

Connecticut

Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Bliss7i-SICU

Florida

Munroe Regional Medical Center, Ocala, ICU (Two-time recipient)

St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Jacksonville, 3N Intensive Care Unit (3500 ICU)

Kansas

The University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Medical Intensive Care Unit 65

Maine

Maine Medical Center, Portland, Special Care Unit

Michigan

Chelsea Community Hospital, Chelsea, ICCU

Montana

Billings Clinic Billings, ICU

New Jersey

Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, Intensive Care Unit (Two-time recipient)

New York

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, Medical Intensive Care Unit

Ohio

Aultman Hospital, Canton, CVSICU (Two-time recipient)

Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Intensive Care Unit

University Hospitals Case Medical Center (Two units recognized), Cleveland, Medical Intensive Care Unit (Three-time recipient), Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Pennsylvania

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Three units recognized), Philadelphia, Cardio Thoracic Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CTSICU), Neuro Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Rhoads 5 Surgical Intensive Care Unit (Two-time recipient)

PinnacleHealth System Harrisburg Hospital, Harrisburg, MSICU (Two-time recipient)

Virginia

Inova Fairfax Hospital (Two units recognized), Falls Church, Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, Trauma Intensive Care Unit

Washington

Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Burn Intensive Care Unit (BICU)

Wisconsin

Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Wausau, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit