AACN Recognizes Medical Surgical Unit at MRVAMC

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), Aliso Viejo, California,  recently recognized nurses on 3 East (medical surgical unit) at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville Florida with a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence.

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 gold, silver or bronze designations meet national criteria consistent with Magnet® Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

“Our health system continues to strive to be a Highly Reliable Organization. We focus on empowering our frontline staff to speak up for patient safety and look for ways we can improve processes and health outcomes" said Thomas Wisnieski, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System Director. “We are ecstatic that our staff on 3 East at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center are being recognized with this prestigious award,” he said. 

AACN President Elizabeth Bridges, PhD, RN, CCNS, FCCM, FAAN, applauds the commitment of the caregivers on the medical surgical unit at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center for working together to meet and exceed the high standards set forth by the Beacon Award for Excellence. These dedicated healthcare professionals join other members of our exceptional community of nurses, who set the standard for optimal patient care. 

“Receiving a Beacon Award for Excellence demonstrates a team’s commitment to providing safe, patient-centered and evidence-based care to patients and families. Creating healthy and supportive work environments empowers nurses and other team members to make their optimal contribution,” Bridges explained. “Achieving this award is such an honor and brings such joy to those who have worked so hard to achieve excellence in patient care and positive patient outcomes,” Bridges added. 

The medical surgical unit earned a gold 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 

The gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence earned by the nurses on 3 East at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center signifies an effective and systematic approach to policies, procedures and processes that include engagement of staff and key stakeholders; fact-based evaluation strategies for continuous process improvement; and performance measures that meet or exceed relevant benchmarks. 

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. 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, and learning and development; evidence-based practice and processes; and outcome measurement. To learn more, visit www.aacn.org/beacon or call (800) 899-2226. 

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. To learn more about AACN, visit www.aacn.org, connect with the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aacnface or follow AACN on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aacnme.

North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 5,800 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing high quality care to Veterans residing throughout north Florida and South Georgia. The organization operates 14 facilities to include two medical centers located in Gainesville and Lake City, a Domiciliary and clinics located throughout a 50-county catchment area.