Alaska Regional's post-surgical unit recognized for excellence by HCA Healthcare

May 21, 2026

The post-surgical care unit at Alaska Regional Hospital was honored as part of an annual program recognizing exemplary nursing units across HCA Healthcare's national network of more than 100,000 nurses.

This year's recognition is especially significant as HCA Healthcare celebrates "A Decade of Distinction," marking the 10th anniversary of the program. The Unit of Distinction Awards are a cornerstone of HCA Healthcare's Nurse Forward strategy, honoring top-performing nursing units across the organization.

"Nursing excellence is most visible at the bedside, where our nurses deliver compassionate, high-quality care to patients and their families every day," said Erica Rossitto, senior vice president and chief nurse executive of HCA Healthcare. "The Unit of Distinction program recognizes the top-performing nursing units at HCA Healthcare that exemplify this commitment and set a strong standard for care across our organization."

Alaska Regional's post-surgery care team received an honorable mention designation for ranking in the top six to ten percent of medical-surgical units across HCA Healthcare.

"We're so proud of our post-operative nurses for their commitment to excellence," said Candi Stanley, the facility's chief nursing officer. "It's such an important moment in each patient's care journey, and our team does a great job putting patient on a path to healing."

Units are selected based on measurable performance across key areas such as advocacy and leadership, consistency in nursing practice and operations, and the ability to leverage scale to improve patient care. Over the past decade, the program has recognized more than 652 units and more than 500 honorable mention recipients across the organization. The program recognizes top-performing units in 10 areas of care, including behavioral health, critical care, emergency services, inpatient rehabilitation, medical-surgical, neonatal intensive care, pediatric services, surgical services, and women's services - reflecting the breadth and impact of nursing practice across HCA Healthcare.