Catholic Medical Center (CMC), a member of GraniteOne Health, congratulates the team on the Cardiac Medical Unit (CMU) for receiving the silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Those standards are skilled communication, effective decision making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, and authentic leadership.
AACN President Clareen Wiencek, RN, PhD, ACNP, ACHPN, applauds the commitment of the caregivers on CMC’s CMU for working together to meet and exceed the high standards set forth by the Beacon Award for Excellence.
“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,” she explains.
The CMU is a 27-bed unit for patients with cardiac conditions including heart failure, arrhythmias, and stroke. The unit has 105 staff and the added support of environmental services, dietary, case management and social work, and physical and occupational therapy. “We couldn’t do what we do without them,” says CMU Director Eileen Grunwald, MS, RN, NEA-BC.
“The team on the CMU embraces the nursing profession with excellence, caring, compassion, human dignity, and patient advocacy,” says CMC VP of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Cassin, MS, RN, CNS, CENP. “I am in awe of the standards they strive for with each and every patient. It’s always a pleasure to hear from patients and their families about their experience on this unit.”
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.