LIFE STAR in March became the first air-medical, critical-care transport team in the nation to receive the prestigious American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence. The award traditionally is given to hospital ICUs.
LIFE STAR received silver recognition. The award recognizes critical-care units that demonstrate excellence in all facets of patient/family care, including leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication; knowledge management, learning and development; use of best practices; and outcomes measurements.
The recognition reads:
“The Beacon Award for Excellence — a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments — recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that achieve this three-year, three-level award with a gold, silver or bronze designation meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award. The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in stellar units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes. Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.”