Inova Heart and Vascular Institute Recognized Nationally for Excellence in Critical Care

Cardiovascular Unit Receives Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence

Falls Church, VA – (December 17, 2008) — The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute has won the prestigious Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence for Fall 2008. Given by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), this prestigious award recognizes hospital units that provide excellent care.

This award signifies that the CVICU has shown a commitment to patient safety by meeting or exceeding the following standards:

• Recruitment and retention
• Education, training and mentoring
• Research and evidence-based practice
• Patient outcomes
• Leadership and organizational ethics
• Healing environment

Inova Fairfax Hospital was one of just 27 hospitals in the country and the only hospital in the Washington, DC area to achieve Beacon Award status for Fall 2008. “To be acknowledged by the AACN in this way is a tremendous honor,” said Janice White, RN, CCRN, patient care director, CVICU, Inova Heart and Vascular Institute. “It demonstrates the excellent care and quality shown by our dedicated nursing staff and lets our patients know they can expect the very best.”

Inova Fairfax Hospital’s Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSICU) and Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU) each won the Beacon Award for Fall 2007, and the hospital’s Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU) was awarded a Beacon Award in Fall 2005.

“Working toward, and ultimately earning, a Beacon Award sends a clear message that these exceptional unit teams are committed to making continuous improvement in providing exceptional patient care fostered by a healthy work environment,” said Caryl Goodyear-Bruch, RN, PhD, CCRN, President, AACN.

The Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence is a recognition award program funded and supported solely by the AACN. The goal is to recognize and highlight critical care units which use quality indicators to evaluate the comprehensive environment of their unit and who reach the highest level of performance, innovation, satisfaction and quality.

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, representing the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses.  AACN’s  headquarters are located in Aliso Viejo, Calif.  Founded in 1969, the association has more than 240 chapters worldwide and is working toward a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families, where critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.  Additional information about AACN is available at www.aacn.org.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.