(Bryn Mawr, PA)– The Neuro-Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (NCICU) of Bryn Mawr Hospital, part of Main Line Health, received the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) 2015 silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence for the second time. The three-year award (2015–18) recognizes caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. The NCICU is one of only 12 critical care units in Pennsylvania and one of 24 in the United States to receive the silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence this year.
“It’s an honor for the NCICU to receive their second Beacon Award, and it is a true reflection of the hard work provided by our skilled and dedicated nursing staff,” said Marianne Harkin, Vice President of Patient Care Services, Bryn Mawr Hospital. “The staff consistently works as a team to ensure that providing evidence-based, superior care is their top priority.”
To win this award, the NCICU met national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and National Quality Healthcare Award. The silver-level award is based on the following criteria:
- Leadership structures and systems
- Appropriate staffing and staff engagement
- Effective communication, knowledge management, learning and development
- Evidence-based practice and processes
- Patient outcomes
The Beacon Award for Excellence lauds North American hospital units that employ evidence-based practices to improve patient and family outcomes. Silver-level recipients demonstrate continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care. Bryn Mawr Hospital’s ICU received the silver-level Beacon Award for 2013–16, Lankenau Medical Centers’ Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) and ICU units received the silver-level Beacon Award for 2012–15, Paoli Hospital’s ICU received the gold-level award for 2013–16, and Riddle Hospital’s ICU received the gold-level award for 2014–17.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
AACN is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, representing the interests of more than 500,000 nurses who are charged with the responsibility of caring for acutely and critically ill patients. The association is dedicated to providing members with the knowledge and resources necessary to provide optimal care to critically ill patients.