Christiana Care Wins Beacon Award for Excellence in Critical Care

Medical Intensive Care Unit Redesignated with Prestigious Award

WILMINGTON, Del., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Christiana Care Health System is the recipient of the Silver Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, the largest specialty nursing organization in the world.

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Christiana Care's is one of only 40 hospitals nationwide and the only hospital in Delaware to achieve the honor for the period 2012-2015. Christiana Care also received the award for the period 2009-2010.

The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Christiana Hospital for its high standards in patient outcome, recruitment and retention, staff training and a healthy work environment.

Units that achieve the distinction meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award. Christiana Care earned Magnet recognition in 2010.

"Achieving the Beacon Award is testimony to the hard working team on the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Christiana Hospital" says Diane Talarek, RN, Chief Nursing Officer. "Everyone here is demonstrating interdisciplinary teamwork, focused on providing safe, excellent and the highest quality of care."

According to AACN, the award signifies continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care. The AACN singles out Christiana Care for meeting the following evidence-based criteria:

• Leadership structures and systems
• Appropriate staffing and staff engagement
• Effective communication, knowledge management, learning and development, best practices
• Evidence-based practice and processes
• Patient outcomes

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.

Founded in 1969, AACN joins together the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses with more than 235 chapters worldwide.

For more information about Christiana Care, visit www.christianacare.org/whoweare.

SOURCE Christiana Care Health System