COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) has received national recognition for exceptional patient care and professional nursing practice with a three-year, Gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

The Beacon Award, considered to be a milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments, honors individual units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care. Gold is the highest level Beacon Award that can be achieved.

The James MICU is a 24-bed oncology intensive care unit where patients often require multiple interventions, such as continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), pronation, vasoactive medication support, arterial line monitoring, advanced ventilator management and use of paralytics.

The AACN, the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, represents the interests of more than half a million acute and critical care nurses and contains more than 200 chapters in the United States. The organization’s vision is to create a health care system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.

Units that earn this award meet nationally recognized benchmarks for excellence in patient care consistent with Magnet® Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award — all considered gold standards for quality patient care and professional nursing practice.

Through this voluntary hospital recognition program, awardees are evaluated on: leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication, knowledge management, learning and development; evidence-based practice and processes; and outcome measurement.

“Our MICU staff exemplifies the compassionate, professional nursing care offered at the James. Earning this national recognition demonstrates their commitment to providing relationship-based care,” says Kris Kipp, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer and executive director for patient services for the OSUCCC – James.

In March 2018, the OSUCCC – James achieved Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program. Magnet® is considered the highest honor an organization can receive for quality patient care and professional nursing practice.

2019 Beacon Award for Excellence honorees will be recognized in May in Orlando, Fla., at the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition, the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families.

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Media Contact:
Amanda Harper
OSUCCC – James Media Relations
614-685-5420
Amanda.Harper2@osumc.edu