MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Receives 5th Beacon Award for Excellence From American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

The only hospital in the Washington Metropolitan Area, and one of approximately 21 hospitals in the country with five or more Beacon Award Units

Washington, D.C. – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has awarded MedStar Georgetown University Hospital with a Silver Beacon Award for excellence making it the only hospital in the Washington Metropolitan Area and one of approximately 21 hospitals in the country with five or more Beacon Award units. This award recognizes an inpatient unit’s capacity to work as a team to provide the highest level of care to critically ill patients.

This is the fifth Beacon Award MedStar Georgetown Magnet® nurses have won. This year’s honoree, the Thoracic Intermediate Care Unit (IMC), joins the hospital’s Medical Intensive Care Unit, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and two other IMCs in being recognized for showcasing exceptional patient care and a healthy work environment.

To achieve the Silver Beacon Award for Excellence, hospital inpatient care units must demonstrate successful improvements in patient outcomes and align practices with the AACN’s rigorous standards. The designation, good for three years, is based on the following evidence-based criteria:

• Leadership Structures and Systems
• Appropriate Staffing and Staff Engagement
• Effective Communication, Knowledge Management, Learning and Development
• Evidence-Based Practice and Processes
• Outcome Measurement

“I want to congratulate our thoracic intermediate care unit for their outstanding commitment to professional nursing practice, by promoting patient safety in everything they do, and achieving the highest standards of quality care for our patients,” said MedStar Georgetown University Hospital President Mike Sachtleben. “These awards are a well-deserved recognition of the teamwork that occurs on our units.”

About MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute-care teaching and research hospital licensed for 609 beds located in Northwest Washington, D.C. Founded in the Jesuit principle of cura personalis, caring for the whole person, MedStar Georgetown is committed to offering a variety of innovative diagnostic and treatment options within a trusting and compassionate environment. MedStar Georgetown’s centers of excellence include neurosciences, transplant, cancer and gastroenterology. Along with Magnet® nurses, internationally recognized physicians, advanced research and cutting-edge technologies, MedStar Georgetown’s healthcare professionals have a reputation for medical excellence and leadership.