VCU news

By Malorie Burkett

Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center’s Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit will be honored with the Beacon Award from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

The STICU is the first ICU in Richmond to receive the award, which recognizes the nation’s top hospital critical care units that exemplify strong patient outcomes and a healthy work environment for nurses. 

“As a former critical care nurse, I am continually awed by the expert technical and compassionate care provided by our STICU nurses,” said Nancy New, nursing director, VCU Health System. “They have positively impacted so many patient and family lives.”

The STICU was evaluated on specific criteria, including recruitment and retention; education, training and mentoring; evidence-based practice; patient outcomes; healing environment; and leadership and organization ethics.

“AACN believes that, in every hospital, in every unit, in each nurse, is the power for excellence,” said Dave Hanson, president of AACN. “Every critical care unit can be a Beacon unit, and many are going through the process right now. It’s a valuable way to ensure that a unit’s practices are based in sound principles, contributing to higher patient safety and staff retention.”

The Beacon Award is presented twice yearly. VCU Medical Center will be recognized next month in Chicago at the annual AACN national conference.

Established in 1969 to help educate nurses working in newly developed intensive care units, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is the world's largest specialty nursing organization. For more information, visit http://www.aacn.org/.