Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
COLTON, CA— On January 30, 2025, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) awarded Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) with its Gold Beacon Award for Excellence. The Beacon Award for Excellence — a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments — recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that achieve this award with gold, silver or bronze designations meet national criteria consistent with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.
The Gold Beacon Award for Excellence, earned by ARMC’s 4-North Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), signifies an effective and systematic approach to policies, procedures and processes that include engagement of staff and key stakeholders; evaluation strategies for continuous process improvement; and performance measures that meet or exceed relevant benchmarks. The 4-North team earned a gold award by meeting the following evidence-based Beacon Award for Excellence criteria:
- Patient Outcomes
- Work Environment
- Nursing Workforce
Established in 2003, the Beacon Award for Excellence offers a road map to help guide exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction. U.S. and Canadian units where patients receive their principal nursing care after hospital admission qualify for this excellence award. To learn more, visit www.aacn.org/beacon or call (800) 899-2226.
