Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) has received notable recognition from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). The hospital's respiratory and medical Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation units were awarded the Gold Beacon Award for Excellence, while the Medical Intensive Care Unit received the Silver Beacon Award. These awards honor unit caregivers who enhance unit outcomes and adhere to AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards, demonstrating excellence in patient outcomes, nursing workforce, and work environment.
Carolyn Santora, chief nursing officer at SBUH, expressed pride in the nursing staff's dedication and contributions toward achieving excellence. “I am incredibly proud of our nursing staff for their unwavering dedication and outstanding contributions toward achieving excellence in nursing,” she stated. “Our nurses are at the heart of delivering safe, compassionate, and patient-centered care — the kind of care that patients and families across Long Island have come to trust at Stony Brook.”
Jennifer Adamski, AACN President, commended SBUH caregivers for their commitment to meeting high standards set by the Beacon Award for Excellence. “The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in outstanding units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes," Adamski noted.
The Beacon Award for Excellence was established in 2003 to guide exceptional care through improved outcomes and increased patient satisfaction. Units in the U.S. and Canada where patients receive primary nursing care post-admission qualify for this award. Criteria include leadership structures, staffing engagement, communication practices, evidence-based processes, and outcome measurement.
For more information about these awards, visit aacn.org/beacon.