American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Recognizes the Bariatric General Surgery Unit at Vidant Medical Center with Silver Beacon Award | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Press Release:

National three-year award with gold, silver, bronze designations marks a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and achieving a healthy work environment

    GREENVILLE - The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), recently awarded the silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence to the Bariatric General Surgery Unit (BGSU) at Vidant Medical Center (VMC). This is the second time this unit has received this award.

    The Beacon Award for Excellence - a major milestone, signifying achievement of 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 a gold, silver or bronze designation meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

    "It's hard to imagine a better example of transformational leadership than in the BGSU at VMC, where patients receive outstanding care for complex, diverse medical/surgical needs," said Dawn Tetterton, administrator of nursing at VMC. "The staff are committed to professional development, interdisciplinary collaboration and use of best practice which contributes to improved patient outcomes. I am honored to work with this team of professionals."

    The silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence signifies continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care. The BGSU earned its silver 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, Learning and Development
• Evidence-Based Practice and Processes
• Outcome Measurement

    "I'm extremely proud of the hard work, dedication and excellence in patient care this team continues to show our patients," said Michelle Harris, manager, BGSU. "Our staff work extremely hard to maintain a high level of excellence in patient care, and they go above and beyond on a daily basis for our patients."

    AACN honors the BGSU at VMC and other Beacon Award for Excellence recipients with announcements in AACN Bold Voices, the monthly award-winning member magazine distributed to more than 100,000 acute and critical care nurses nationwide. AACN also honors awardees at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, the world's largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families.

    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. or 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, 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, Calif., the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN joins together the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses and claims more than 235 chapters worldwide. 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.

• Contact: Amy Holcombe
•     amy.holcombe@vidanthealth.com