The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recognizes 122 units from 101 hospitals nationwide that earned the Beacon Award for Excellence between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2013.
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 before units can reapply.
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 Healthcare Award. Units that receive the award demonstrate practices that align with AACN's Healthy Work Environment Standards for optimal care.
Recipients of a Gold Beacon Award demonstrate staff-driven excellence in sustained unit performance, improvement and 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.
Among the 34 units receiving the Beacon Award's highest distinction, two units at St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn, N.Y., and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, each received Gold awards. Thirteen additional hospitals had multiple units honored with an award, demonstrating excellence in caring for high acuity and critically ill patients and their families.