Two UC Davis Health units receive silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence
By Tricia Tomiyoshi
Post-anesthesia providers in adult and pediatric care honored with national award for excellence
(SACRAMENTO)
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has conferred a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence on UC Davis Health’s Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and Children’s Surgery Center PACU. It is the only PACU with this distinction on the west coast.
The award announced earlier this month recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s 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 the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.
AACN President Terry Davis applauded the exemplary efforts of UC Davis Health caregivers for meeting and exceeding the high standards set forth by the Beacon Award for Excellence.
“These dedicated health care professionals join other members of the exceptional community of nurses who set the standard for optimal patient care,” Davis said. “The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in stellar units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes. Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.”
The silver-level award signifies an effective approach to policies, procedures and processes that includes engagement of staff and key stakeholders. The unit has evaluation and improvement strategies in place and good performance measures when compared to relevant benchmarks.
The UC Davis Health PACU and Children’s Surgery Center PACU 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 and learning and development
Evidence-based practice and processes
Outcome measurement
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. and Canadian units where patients receive their principal nursing care after hospital admission qualify for this excellence award.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than half a million acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 200 chapters in the United States. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.
