The Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence® was created by AACN in 2003 to challenge acute and critical care nurses to improve the care provided to acutely and critically ill patients. The application process and Award provides the critical care community a quantitative and qualitative way to view achievements in professional practice, patient outcomes and the health of the work environment.
Since then, hundreds of adult critical care, progressive care and pediatric critical care units across the country have embarked on the journey to excellence.
While many have become leaders by achieving the Beacon Award, others have found the journey rewarding well beyond their expectations. Beacon has provided the means for units to measure themselves against high quality standards based on national criteria. To meet or exceed these standards is to be a leader in acute and critical care nursing.
