Local hospital wins critical care award

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Presbyterian Healthcare Services’ Cardiac Critical Care Unit at Presbyterian Hospital has received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence. The award recognizes the top intensive care units in the country.

The Beacon Award places Presbyterian Hospital’s CCC Unit in the top tier of hospitals nationally for providing the highest standards of nursing professionalism. The unit has met rigorous criteria for excellence, displaying high-quality standards and exceptional care for patients and families while maintaining a healthy work environment.

There are an estimated 6,000 intensive care units in the Untied States. The AACN has given the Beacon Award to approximately 200 pediatric and adult critical care units since the initiation of the award in 2003.

“This is a tremendous achievement for our CCC Unit and reflects the hard work and dedication of nurses in the unit who care for some of our most seriously ill patients and their families,” said Lynn Haynes, director of operations of the Heart Service Line for Presbyterian. “We are very pleased – but not surprised – that our unit has received this well-deserved national recognition.”

To be considered for the award, intensive care units are evaluated on 42 criteria in six categories:

• patient outcomes
• evidence-based practice and research
• leadership and organizational ethics
• excellence and innovation in recruitment and retention
• education, training and mentoring
• promoting healing environments.