American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognizes Intensive Care Unit at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center with Silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence

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

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Intensive Care Unit at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center and its team were recently awarded a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

The Beacon Award for Excellence — a significant milestone on the path to 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 the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

"We are extremely grateful to have been recognized by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for this prestigious award," says Brandi Cassingham, chief nursing officer, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. "Caring for our community is our calling, and underscores MemorialCare's relentless commitment to patient safety and family centered care. I'm extremely humble and proud of the outstanding dedication our Intensive Care Unit team displays every day."

Amanda Bettencourt, Ph.D., A.P.R.N., C.C.R.N-K., A.C.C.N.S-P., president, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, applauds the commitment of the caregivers in the Intensive Care Unit at Saddleback Medical Center 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.

"Being recognized as a Beacon unit, especially while working to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the team's ongoing commitment to providing safe, patient-centered and evidence-based care to patients and families," Bettencourt explained. "Achieving this award is an honor, and the team should be proud of setting such a high standard in patient care and positive patient outcomes," Bettencourt added.

The silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence earned by the Intensive Care Unit at Saddleback Medical Center signifies an effective approach to policies, procedures and processes that includes engagement of staff and key stakeholders. The unit has evaluation and improvement strategies in place and good performance measures when compared to relevant benchmarks. The Intensive Care Unit at Saddleback Medical Center 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 and Learning and Development
• Evidence-Based Practice and Processes
• Outcome Measurement

"We know, when a family member is in the intensive care unit, it can be an overwhelming time," says Cassingham. "We do everything in our power to make families feel inclusive, supported, and the confidence that we provide the highest quality care to their loved one."

About MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center
MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center received U.S. News & World Report high-performance rankings for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Congestive Heart Failure, COPD, Diabetes, Heart Attack, Kidney Failure, Knee Replacement, Pneumonia, and Stroke. It was named among America's 50 Best Hospitals, Top 50 U.S. Cardiovascular Hospitals, Orange County Register Best Orange County Hospitals and Top Workplaces; received Magnet Nursing Excellence designation and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Care Gold Plus and among first U.S. hospitals earning Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center Certification and Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation. Centers of Excellence include cancer, heart, orthopedics, spine, neuroscience, gastroenterology, emergency and critical care, breast health, imaging, women's health, obstetrics, geriatrics, and minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. To learn more, visit memorialcare.org/saddleback

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. and 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, and 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, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than half a million acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 200 chapters in the United States. 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.

SOURCE MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center