UAB Medicine’s Regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit (RNICU) received a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), and our Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) and Acute Trauma Care Unit (ATCU) each received silver-level awards. These awards recognize units that distinguish themselves by providing high-quality patient care in a healthy work environment. With these latest honors, UAB Medicine’s critical-care nursing units have earned six Beacon Awards over the past four years.
The Beacon Awards were established in 2003 by the AACN, which represents over 500,000 acute-care and critical-care nurses across the United States and Canada. For patients and their families, the awards recognize units that put patients first. For nurses, they point to positive, supportive work environments marked by effective collaboration, high morale, and low turnover. According to the AACN, units that receive this national honor serve as role models, and the nurses on these units tend to express greater job satisfaction.
In applying for the awards, the units submitted data that demonstrate a consistent and systematic approach to optimizing patient outcomes. The silver-level awards affirm that the units maintain effective policies, procedures, and processes that include engagement from staff and key stakeholders. They also reflect that honorees have evaluation and improvement strategies in place, as well as good performance measures when compared to relevant benchmarks.
RNICU Nurse Manager Donna Purvis, MSN, RN, said the award highlights her team’s best qualities. “We are elated that the RNICU has been designated as a gold-level Beacon unit,” she said. “This achievement underscores the collective teamwork, resilience, and passion that define our team spirit. These qualities are the foundation of our success, and I am truly honored to lead such an exceptional team dedicated to caring for newborns and their families.”
“I am beyond proud of my team,” said ATCU Nurse Manager Amy Roberson, MSN, RN. “The prestigious Beacon Award is a testament to the excellent work they perform every day, and we are truly honored to receive it.”
CCU Nurse Manager Chris Rolling, MSN, RN, said he’s pleased that his team’s commitment to excellence has been recognized. “The Beacon Award is a testament to the CCU’s unwavering dedication, hard work, and commitment to providing exceptional care,” he said. “The CCU’s passion for teamwork and the continuous pursuit of excellence have not gone unnoticed. It is a privilege to work alongside such a talented and compassionate group of individuals.”