The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) granted a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence on 8 Main, an inpatient unit, at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, in March 2017.
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.
“A silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence reflects the high priority we place on teamwork and collaboration to provide excellent patient care,” said Jill McNamara, MSN, RN, PCCN, Manager of Clinical Services, 8 Main, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s.
The silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence earned by 8 Main at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s signifies continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care.
“I am honored to serve with such a dedicated group of clinical staff, who are engaged, empowered, and strive for excellence every day!” said Liz Murphy, BSN, MSBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s.
8 Main at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s earned its silver award by meeting the following evidence-based 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
Recipients who earned a bronze-level award show success in developing, deploying and integrating unit-based performance criteria for optimal outcomes; gold-level awardees demonstrate excellent and sustained unit performance and patient outcomes.
The staff of 8 Main also receives much internal accolades for their excellent patient care. One such example is the DAISY Award, a monthly honor selected by the Work Environment Council. By the end of March 2017, the staff of 8 Main will have received a total of ten DAISY Award recipients within its department.
- Marsha Haase: July 2012
- Liz Collar: October 2013
- Jill McNamara: March 2014
- Justine Reynaert: August 2014
- Pam Waterbury: December 2014
- Brenda Rubel: February 2015
- Julie Deppen: August 2015
- Stephanie Clapham: October 2016
- Jon VanderHill: November 2016 (RN Case Manager on 8M)
- Ashley Mize: January 2017
- Abby Howell: February 2017
- (Name TBA- secret): April 2017
About the Beacon Award for Excellence: Established in 2003, the Beacon Award for Excellence offers a road map to help guide exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction. U.S. or Canadian units where patients receive their principal nursing care after hospital admission qualify for this excellence award. Units that receive the Beacon Award for Excellence meet criteria in six categories: leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication, knowledge management, learning and development; evidence-based practice and processes; and outcome measurement. To learn more, visit www.aacn.org/beacon.
