COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit has received national recognition for exceptional patient care and professional nursing practice from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) by being named a 2022 recipient of the Silver Beacon Award for Excellence. This award – which provides gold, silver and bronze levels of recognition – honors hospital units that employ evidence-based practices to improve patient and family outcomes and that exemplify excellence in professional practice and patient care. This is the third Beacon Award of Excellence for the 36-bed BMT unit; the team previously received a bronze award in 2015 and a gold award in 2018.  A limited number of nursing units in the United States are selected annually for this award, which is based on rigorous standards in professional practice, patient care and outcomes in six categories. “Our BMT staff provide compassionate care and a healing environment to our patients. This award is a testament to that commitment and what our nurses do every day in embodying our relationship-based care framework,” said Corrin Steinhauer, chief nursing officer at the OSUCCC – James. The OSUCCC – James BMT unit is a medical-hematological area that completes 300 allogeneic (from a donor) and autologous (from a patient’s own blood cells) transplants annually. Patients stay approximately 30 days, depending on their treatment plan, and receive high-acuity patient care throughout their stay.   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 healthcare 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. To learn more about the BMT program at the OSUCCC – James, visit cancer.osu.edu/BMT. -30- MEDIA CONTACT Amanda Harper | OSUCCC - James Media Relations Amanda.Harper2@osumc.edu | 614-685-5420