UTMC Nursing Unit Earns National Recognition

UTMC Nursing Unit Earns National Recognition

The Heart and Vascular Care Unit at the University of Toledo Medical Center has earned a bronze-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

UTMC is the only hospital in northwest Ohio to receive a Beacon Award, a national honor for nursing units that provide high-quality patient care in a supportive work environment.

"This is a huge achievement for UTMC and it's a recognition of the things that really matter to us - having strong patient outcomes, high patient satisfaction and an engaged, dedicated workforce," said Kurt Kless, the hospital's chief nursing officer. "We have an incredible team in the Heart and Vascular Care Unit, and this is a well-deserved honor for them and our entire institution."

The Beacon Award was established in 2003 to help guide exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.

Nominees for the award are evaluated on leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication, knowledge management and learning and development; evidence-based practice and processes; and outcome measurement.

"The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in outstanding units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes," said Rebekah Marsh, president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. "Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care."

The Heart and Vascular Care Unit provides specialized care for patients with serious and often complex cardiovascular conditions, including patients with heart failure and those recovering from vascular surgery, heart attack and stroke. The unit, which has about 100 employees, including registered nurses, patient care technicians and support staff, is the hospital's busiest nursing unit, with more admissions and discharges than any other area.

The Heart and Vascular Care Unit also received the DAISY Team Award for Extraordinary Nurses last year.

"These are the kinds of units that hospitals often struggle with," Kless said. "They're big, they're busy and they're caring for people who are really sick. It takes a lot of skill to be successful here, but our team is phenomenal. It's a great place for our nurses to work and a great place for our patients to receive heart care."

UTMC is one of just 13 hospital systems in Ohio to hold a Beacon Award.

"This highlights our patient outcomes, staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction. Those are three things that drive people to choose a hospital," said Rachel Cooke, the unit's nursing director. "Our nurses are really proud of this accomplishment, and I think it helps fill their tank a little bit. It shows that we're doing things the right way and providing high-quality care."