Beacon Award for Excellence Application Process

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) created the Beacon Award for Excellence (Beacon Award) to recognize individual units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care. You are taking an important first step on this journey by pursuing a Beacon Award.

To successfully complete the Beacon Award application, please do the following:

1. Read the entire handbook.
2. Refer to the scoring guidelines.
3. Understand key terms.
4. Start the Unit Profile.
5. Complete the Beacon Award Audit Tool.

To submit a completed Beacon Award application you must do the following:

• Part I — Narrative Section
• Part II — Online Submission Process
• Online Submission Policies

Part I — Narrative Section

Develop the narrative section (part I) of your Beacon Award for Excellence application. Save the narrative section as a Microsoft Word document on your computer. Refer to the guidelines and instructions and formatting example before developing the narrative.

• The category you are completing should be clearly labeled at the beginning of each section.
• Responses within each category should be numbered to correspond to the same question in the Beacon Handbook. If space allows, include the text of each question.
• Size 10 is the minimum font for the application.
• Maximum length is 50 pages and maximum size is 15 megabytes including the Unit Profile, graphs, diagrams or images.
• Include page numbers on your application. If the application exceeds 50 pages, only the first 50 pages will be reviewed.
• Avoid using acronyms and abbreviations.
  • Common acronyms and abbreviations can have more than one meaning, which detracts from an application's clarity.
  • If it is essential to use an abbreviation or acronym, it must be spelled out the first time it is used.
• Do not include patient- or employee-specific information.
  • If confidential information is included in the narrative, all identifying details must be removed.

Part II — Online Submission Process

Once the narrative is complete (part I), begin the online submission process (part II) and login with your member or customer ID number. Once you have signed in, you will be taken to step one of seven in the online submission process.

Caution: The online submission process must be completed in one session from start to finish. Do not start the online submission process until you have the demographic information listed below* and your Beacon Award narrative is complete. The online submission process should take approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

There are seven steps in the online submission process:

1. Enter your hospital information.
2. Enter unit name and address.
3. Enter facility and unit information.*
4. Enter primary and secondary contact information.
5. Upload your complete application.
6. Submit application.
7. Submit payment.

*During the online submission process, you will be asked for the following data about your hospital and unit. We collect this information to better understand the environment of applicants and make comparisons between groups. Be sure to obtain the information specified below before you start the online submission.

• Unit type.
• Type of facility.
• Number of beds in unit.
• Number of operating beds in institution.
• Does your hospital currently have Magnet Hospital designation?
• Has your hospital received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award?
• Is your hospital a participant in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI)?
• Number of RN staff in unit (individuals not FTEs).
• How many nurses in your unit are currently certified in specialty practice by AACN, ANCC or another national nursing organization? (Please do not include American Heart Association competencies, such as CPR, ACLS or PALS, and do not include internal hospital certifications.)

Online Submission Policies

• The online submission process is final.
  • Once the application is submitted, we do not accept changes, additions or deletions.
• You may pay the $1500 Beacon Award application fee online via credit card.
  • Once the credit card is authorized, a receipt will be emailed to you.
• If you choose to pay with a check, you will be prompted to print your invoice.
  • Mail the invoice and check to AACN.
  • Applications are not processed until payment is received.

• Start Beacon online submission process.