Holy Name Press Releases

Holy Name Mecical Center's ICU and Telemetry Unit Receive Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence

September 1, 2011

Rigorous application process emphasizes quality, safety and satisfaction

Teaneck, NJ - The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recently conferred a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence on the Intensive Care Unit at Holy Name Medical Center, and a silver-level Beacon Award on Holy Name's Telemetry Unit, One North.  The Beacon designation applies to the three-year period of 2011 through 2014.

The Beacon Award for Excellence is acknowledged by nursing professionals as a significant milestone on the path to exceptional care, safety and satisfaction of patients, families and caregivers.  Units that achieve this three-year, three-level award with gold, silver and bronze designations meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Holy Name Medical Center is a Magnet-recognized hospital.

This is the second consecutive year that Holy Name's ICU and Telemetry Unit have been recognized by the AACN.  Of the 6,000 ICUs in the nation, 315 have received a Beacon Award. Of those, 61 have earned the award more than once. In New Jersey, Holy Name's ICU is one of only four units to achieve gold status in 2011.

"Excellence is the culmination of many interactions and occurrences. Those institutions that achieve the three-year designation demonstrate practices that are in exact synergy with the AACN's Healthy Work Environment Standards for optimal care," explains Sheryl Slonim, DNP, RN-BC, NEA-BC, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Holy Name Medical Center. She notes this year's application for the Beacon Award was extremely rigorous, and included required evidence-based demonstrations of leadership structures and systems, appropriate staffing and staff engagement, effective communication, knowledge management and best practices, evidence-based practice and processes, and patient outcomes.

"Nurses who work on these units know their knowledge base and level of performance are worthwhile and noted positively by the patient, other caregivers and expert nurses who validate their skills," adds Dr. Slonim. "That translates into excellent care for patients."

AACN President Mary Stahl, RN, MSN, ACNS-BC, CCNS-CMC, CCRN, says, "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."