Frankfort, KY (April 30, 2009) - Frankfort Regional Medical Center has received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence, an award given by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) to recognize U.S. hospitals with the best critical care units.
The AACN launched the Beacon Award in the fall of 2003. Since then, 132 units (2%) of the estimated 6,000 Intensive Care Units in the United States have been recognized for excellence by this award. Frankfort Regional is one of only two hospitals in Kentucky ever to receive the coveted designation.
"We are very proud to be recognized for meeting the high standards of critical care set forth by the AACN," said Barbara VanHoose, Associate Chief Nursing Officer. "Winning this award inspires us to set even higher standards for ourselves. The ICU nurses at Frankfort Regional care so much about doing a great job and we accept that challenge." Frankfort Regional has 10 critical care beds among its 173 total beds.
As a Beacon Award recipient, Frankfort Regional Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit 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
"The teamwork that occurs among the ICU nurses, techs and other disciplines, on a daily basis, is amazing," said Michelle England, Director of Critical and Progressive Care. "This unit and these nurses are role models for their profession. They are autonomous, empowered and strive to improve their practice, create a healthy work environment and deliver excellent care to their patients' everyday. I can honestly say that I am very proud to be a part of this team and all that we have accomplished and will continue to accomplish in the future."
Beacon Award units realize many benefits of having met rigid criteria for excellence, high-quality standards and exceptional care of patients and patients' families:
- Influence and Recognition: Units that participate in the Beacon Award process help set the standards for what constitutes an excellent acute or critical care environment through the collection of evidence-based information. Patient safety and quality programs, such as the Leapfrog Group Hospital Quality and Safety Survey, consider Beacon achievement in their evaluation process.
- Credibility: Consumers, who are paying much closer attention today to quality-of-care factors with respect to their own healthcare, will take this level of recognition into consideration when choosing a hospital for care or treatment.
- Recruitment and Retention: Prospective employees will recognize a Beacon Award unit as a healthy work environment, a place where quality of care is tied directly to quality of staff. Nurses who work in these units will recognize that their skills and expertise are appreciated and valued, boosting employee morale.
For more information on the Beacon Award or AACN, call (800) 899-2226. Applicants are not required to be a member of AACN to apply for the Beacon Award. Application information and requirements are available at www.aacn.org > Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence.