MedStar Health Announced as the Only Acute Care Health System in the Region to Earn Inaugural Recognition for Well-Being Excellence

MedStar Health honored at its own third annual conference by prestigious American Nurses Credentialing Center.

BALTIMORE, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MedStar Health's nursing program has been recognized with the first Well-Being Excellence™ credential awarded by the prestigious American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).  MedStar Health was the only acute care health system in the Mid-Atlantic region awarded this credential and one of only five recognized internationally for the new global distinction that highlights the effectiveness of work to improve the wellbeing of nurses and other diverse teams.

"We are extraordinarily proud that MedStar Health nurse wellbeing efforts have earned this global recognition from the prestigious American Nurses Credentialing Center," said LynnMarie Verzino, DNP, chief nursing officer and senior vice president for MedStar Health.  "To best serve our community, we need to make sure our nurses are able to practice at their best. And part of that is ensuring that their wellbeing is front and center and one of our foremost priorities at MedStar Health. This designation as a global leader in wellbeing is really recognition of what we've put in place and have been building over the last several years here at MedStar Health."  

MedStar Health employs nearly 10,000 nurses across the system providing care in hospitals, patients' homes, community centers, urgent care and ambulatory care centers. 

"This honor is a testament to the strong wellbeing culture and commitment we have fostered at MedStar Health, led by the work of the MedStar Health Center for Wellbeing and adopted by our nurse wellbeing champions across the system," said Verzino.

MedStar Health's commitment to associate wellbeing and focus on nursing support

The MedStar Health Center for Wellbeing was formally established in 2021, developing and promoting a culture that prioritizes professional fulfillment and wellbeing. Serving as a core operation within the MedStar Institute for Innovation, the Center for Wellbeing offers a wide range of mental health and wellbeing support services including one-on-one coaching, professional fulfillment activities, and train-the-trainer sessions to equip the MedStar Health nursing team with a robust support structure.

Over the past year, Center for Wellbeing work to support the nursing team has included:

• More than 1,100 hours of coaching and other mental health support to direct-care nurses and nurse leaders
• Anonymous interactive screening program for more than 9,000 nurses to provide confidential mental health assessments that rapidly connect them with support
• Onboarding for more than 100 nurse leaders
• Peer support training for more than 300 new nurses and patient care technicians

Externally, MedStar Health is the leading sponsor of the National Nurse Wellbeing Consortium, a collaboration of more than 25 leading nurse wellbeing organizations from across the country that share resources, best practices, and ideas to further promote a wellbeing culture.  

ANCC inaugural award ceremony recognizes honorees at MedStar Health's National Nurse Wellbeing Conference

The ANCC made the announcement at MedStar Health's third annual Nurse Wellbeing Conference, this year held in Baltimore.  The event convenes hundreds of nursing leaders and healthcare professionals from around the country to learn more about cultivating a culture of wellbeing.

"We are honored to serve as both a recipient and a champion of this wellbeing credential, and to host the announcement at the National Nurse Wellbeing Conference," said Cassie O'Malley, DNP, senior director for wellbeing and innovation with the MedStar Health Center for Wellbeing.  "Our event not only equips healthcare leaders from across the country with the tools and inspiration they need to lead effective nurse wellbeing programs, it also celebrates what these initiatives look like in practice. It is a privilege to lead nurse wellbeing efforts that shape how we treat people at MedStar Health and advance this innovative work on a global stage."

About the Well-Being Excellence Designation

ANCC, the credentialing arm of the American Nurses Enterprise which also encompasses the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Nurses Foundation is dedicated to advancing the highest standards of nursing excellence.  ANCC awards the Pathway to Excellence® designation and the prestigious Magnet® recognition to organizations demonstrating the standards for positive practice environments and nursing excellence which are found in studies to correlate with superior patient care and outcomes.  

This new credential was designed to provide evidence-based standards for evaluating and enhancing wellbeing programs within healthcare organizations that employ nurses. The ANCC assessed MedStar Health's wellbeing initiatives to determine their impact on teams, work environment, and workplace culture. This credential is bestowed upon organizations that demonstrate a firm commitment to creating a supportive work environment, attracting and retaining top talent, and improving overall employee satisfaction and engagement.

For information on the Well-Being Excellence^™ Credential program, visit ANCC's website. To view this press release with additional photos and a video, visit the MedStar Health newsroom.

SOURCE MedStar Health