McKenzie-Willamette Cardiovascular Unit Wins Silver Beacon Award

Springfield, OR- The Cardiovascular Unit (CVU) at McKenzie Willamette Medical Center has received the Silver Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence. This award, given by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) recognizes the nation’s top hospital units that care for acutely and critically ill patients. McKenzie-Willamette’s CVU is one of 315 out of 6,000 critical care units’ nationwide, one of seven in the State of Oregon, and the only Critical Care Unit in Lane County to receive this distinction.

The AACN created the Beacon Award to recognize individual units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care. The Beacon Award includes three levels so that a unit can chart its excellence journey over time. Bronze, silver and gold recipients receive a three-year designation.

The Beacon Award is presented to units that exhibit the highest quality standards, measured against evidence-based national criteria for education, training and mentoring; research and evidence-based practice; patient outcomes; leadership and organizational ethics; a healing environment; and recruitment and retention.

"The vision and goal of the CVU at McKenzie-Willamette since its inception in December of 2006, has been to give the highest quality care to our patients, and their families," says Nurse Manager, Becky Bellingham. "Being recognized by our national organization of peers is an honor, and confirms our commitment to providing quality care in a compassionate environment."

The AACN is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, representing more than 500,000 nurses who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining the knowledge and resources necessary to provide optimal care to critically ill patients.