Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, is pleased to announce that the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Saint Peter’s has earned the Silver Beacon Award for Excellence by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) for the 2021-24 term.
The ICU at Saint Peter’s has received this coveted award for the sixth consecutive time.
The Beacon Award for Excellence, a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments, recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards.
Units that achieve this three-year, three-level award with a gold, silver or bronze designation meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award. Saint Peter’s received its sixth consecutive Magnet designation for Nursing Excellence in November 2020.
“We are extremely proud of our ICU nurses to have earned the Beacon Award for Excellence for the sixth consecutive time, and recognize the significance of achieving this award during the pandemic,” said Linda Carroll, MSN, RN-BC, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System. “COVID-19 has presented its challenges this past year, but our ICU nurses have continuously provided the highest quality of care to our patients. When patients couldn’t see their loved ones, our nurses became the patients’ family, providing compassionate care during difficult circumstances.”
Earning the Beacon Award signifies how Saint Peter’s ICU nurses use continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care. The Saint Peter’s ICU earned its silver award by meeting the following Beacon Award for Excellence criteria:
* Leadership Structures and Systems
* Appropriate Staffing and Staff Engagement
* Effective Communication, Knowledge Management, Learning and Development
* Evidence-Based Practice and Processes
* Outcome Measurement
Units that receive the Beacon Award set the standard for excellence in patient care environments by collecting and using evidence-based information to improve patient outcomes, as well as patient, family and staff satisfaction.
For patients and their families, the Beacon Award signifies exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall satisfaction.
For nurses, a Beacon Award means a positive and supportive work environment with greater collaboration between colleagues and leaders.
“The Beacon Award for Excellence shows that our nurses are the best of the best,” said Laura Spaulding, MSN, RN, CCRN, nurse manager of the ICU. “We take a family-centered approach at Saint Peter’s, not only providing care to the patient but to their loved ones as well.”
The Intensive Care Unit at Saint Peter’s University Hospital is a 24-bed fully monitored unit.
In addition to intensivists (physicians trained in the specialty of critical care), the unit is staffed by 75 registered nurses who ensure the highest level of patient care.
Eighty-five percent of nurses who work on the unit hold the national CCRN certification for critical care nursing.
To see more of Saint Peter’s recognitions, visit saintpetershcs.com/award
- This information was provided by Saint Peter’s University Hospital.