(Camden, New Jersey) Cooper University Hospital is proud to announce that the Intensive Care Unit and the Coronary Care Unit nursing teams have received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence, an award given by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). The award is specifically designated to recognize the nation’s top pediatric, progressive, and adult critical care units across a multitude of hospitals. The recognition itself is priceless, as it 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, Cooper University Hospital ICU and CCU succeeded in the following areas, as measured against evidence-based national criteria:
- Recruitment and retention
- Education, training and mentoring
- Research and evidence-based practice
- Patient outcomes
- Leadership and organization ethics
- Healing environment
AACN applauds the efforts and success of Cooper University Hospital, which will now serve as a beacon for other hospitals and healthcare facilities. Beacon units are a source of inspiration for other aspiring units.
“Cooper nurses work in a multidisciplinary team which values innovation and research and are respected as such. They work autonomously with our many unit protocols and are highly educated to be able to care for patients with multi-system failure,” said Mary Jo Cimino, R.N., B.S.N., C.C.R.N., and Clinical Director of Adult Critical Care at Cooper. “This is a remarkable achievement and we are very proud to be recipients of this award.”
According to the AACN, studies show that units achieving Beacon Award status rate higher on key indicators related to nursing satisfaction, quality of care, leadership and work environment. In addition, this award allows units to measure their systems, outcomes and environment against evidence-based criteria.
About The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (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. Additional information about AACN is available online at www.aacn.org or by calling (800) 899-2226.