Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence
PrintNORWICH – The William W. Backus Hospital Critical Care Unit has received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence, an award given to the nation’s top critical care units.
Given by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), only 242 of 6000 critical care units nationwide have received this honor.
According to the AACN, the award represents extraordinary commitment to high-quality critical care standards, and dedication to the exceptional care of patients and their families.
As a Beacon Award recipient, the Backus CCU was measured against evidence-based national criteria in the areas of:
- Research and evidence-based practice
- Patient outcomes
- Leadership and organization ethics
- Healing environment
- Recruitment and retention
- Education, training and mentoring.
“This distinction verifies the excellent patient care we provide every day,” said Becky Durham, a registered nurse and clinical director of the Backus Critical Care Unit. “It’s not about a week, a month or even a year. It’s about consistent commitment to excellence. I am so proud of everyone on this unit and throughout our organization whose dedication made this possible. Our community can rest assured that if they ever need us, we will be there for them, and provide compassionate and quality care. Thank you to the staff in the critical care unit and across multiple disciplines that made this possible.”
“Congratulations to our staff for their life-saving efforts,” said Dave Whitehead, Backus President and Chief Executive Officer. “Their evidence-based approach to patient care is a model for the organization, and a roadmap for patient safety efforts going forward.”
Karen Long, a registered nurse and Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Backus, praised Backus staff members for their efforts.
“This is the result of frontline caregivers putting patients first, every day,” Ms. Long said. “Working collaboratively, they addressed processes for critically ill patients step by step, patient by patient, and the results are staggering.”
About AACN
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, representing the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses. Its international headquarters are located in Aliso Viejo, California. Founded in 1969, the Association has more than 240 chapters worldwide and is working toward a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families, where acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.