National Recognition for the Nurses Behind Trauma and Burn Care at MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Prestigious Emergency Nurses Association award recognizes the exceptional nurses who provide specialized trauma and burn care for the region's most critically injured patients.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MedStar Washington Hospital Center's Trauma and Burn Emergency Resuscitation Unit has received the prestigious Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Lantern Award, marking the first time the hospital has earned this national distinction.

This year, 126 emergency departments met the criteria for the award, demonstrating exceptional performance in patient care, nursing practice, education, safety, professional development, and advocacy to improve patient outcomes.

At MedStar Washington Hospital Center, the recognition honors the extraordinary work of the nurses who provide specialized care to patients with severe traumatic injuries, complex burns, and critical polytrauma.

"Our trauma and burn care nurses are committed to excellence and lead with purpose every day," said Ariam Yitbarek, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. "Receiving the Lantern Award is a testament to their unwavering dedication to providing expert, compassionate care in some of the most complex situations imaginable."

The Trauma and Burn Emergency Resuscitation Unit operates separately from the hospital's emergency department and serves as a designated Level I Trauma Center. The unit has played a critical role in caring for patients during the region's most significant emergencies, including the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon, the 2013 Washington Navy Yard shooting, and the 2017 Congressional Baseball Game shooting.

The unit includes three major resuscitation bays and five minor resuscitation bays, each of which can be converted into a major resuscitation bay as needed. This flexible design allows teams to adjust rapidly to surges in patient volume, acuity, and operational demands.

"Nurses are central to every phase of trauma and burn care, and this award recognizes the incredibly hard work they do every day," said Donna Johnson, PhD, RN, senior nursing director, Critical Care & Emergency Services at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. "The Lantern Award reflects our commitment to nursing excellence, clinical readiness, compassionate care, teamwork and continuous improvement."

View this year's award recipients HERE.

SOURCE MedStar Health