ECMC’s Medical Intensive Care Unit Earns National Award for Excellence

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognizes ECMC’s Medical Intensive Care Unit-South with gold Beacon Award for Excellence

BUFFALO, NEW YORK –The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), Aliso Viejo, California, recently conferred a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence on ECMC’s Medical Intensive Care Unit-South (MICU-South). MICU-South is one of only 8 medical ICUs in New York State to receive the Gold Beacon Award for Excellence.

The Beacon Award for Excellence — a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments — recognizes 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 the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

AACN President Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, applauded the commitment of ECMC’s dedicated caregivers on MICU-South 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.

President Adamski said, “The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in outstanding 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.”

Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., PhD, ECMC President and CEO said, “This is an exciting and well-deserved achievement for our medical ICU nurses. ECMC receives transfers from all over Western New York and takes care of some of the sickest patients in our region. This award is very gratifying recognition from a trusted and highly respected national organization dedicated to nursing excellence in acute and trauma patient care. The AACN’s Gold Beacon Award for Excellence is further evidence of ECMC’s national best-in-class patient care that we have become known for throughout our community.”

The gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence earned by ECMC’s MICU-South 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. MICU-South at ECMC earned a gold award by meeting the following evidence-based Beacon Award for Excellence criteria: