Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville intensive care unit honored for model patient care environment

Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville’s Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit (Medical-Surgical ICU) was recognized by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, with a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence.

This achievement distinguishes the Medical-Surgical ICU as a model patient care center, joining a select group of just 53 hospital units to receive some degree of Beacon Award recognition in Florida. This marks the second time Baptist Health has received a Beacon Award honor in five years.

A COVID-19 unit, the Medical-Surgical ICU team displayed an enhanced commitment to providing comprehensive care since the onset of the pandemic. The team spearheaded several initiatives to improve both critically ill patient outcomes and team member collaboration throughout 2020.

To fully engage team members on the unit, Medical-Surgical ICU instituted leadership rounding once a month to solicit feedback, which helped to transform standard operating procedures. Additionally, the team designated an emergency nurse to ensure the safety of patients being transferred from the Emergency Department from the Critical Care Unit, improving the center’s continuity of care.

The three-year Beacon Award honors North American hospital units that set the standard for patient care environments and is offered at the bronze, silver or gold level. Medical-Surgical ICU earned its silver-level award for adhering to an effective approach to policies, procedures and processes outlined by the AACN, including aligning its practices with the AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards.

A panel of experts evaluate units for exceptional achievement in the following areas:

• Leadership structures and systems
• Appropriate staffing and staff engagement
• Effective communication, knowledge management and learning and development
• Evidence-based practice and processes
• Patient outcomes

“This accomplishment demonstrates the hard work and dedication of all Medical-Surgical ICU team members who set and maintain the standard for patient care,” said Michael A. Mayo, FACHE, hospital president of Baptist Jacksonville. “This unit’s collaborative spirit has allowed them to combine their skills and experience in the critical care setting and work together to devise new, innovative ways to better serve our community. We are proud to have this team receive this achievement. They continue to work to ensure a healthy and supportive work environment for all team members and help our patients experience the most positive outcomes possible.”