LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 8 West Trauma ICU at UofL Health – UofL Hospital has received a Silver Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).
The Beacon Award for Excellence is a nationally recognized award denoting exceptional patient care. Units that receive this award have a supportive, positive work environment placing emphasis on low turnover, high morale and compassion for co-workers and patients.
“As a leader on 8 West, this award means that we have taken the expectations for high-quality care and collaboration as a team to the next level,” Shelby Pollert, MSN, RN, CEN, clinical nurse manager for 8 West Trauma ICU, said. “Our unit truly exemplifies what it means to care for each other and our patients.”
While any hospital unit can apply for the Beacon Award, 8 West is one of only 11 other units in the commonwealth of Kentucky with an active award. 8 West is also the only active trauma ICU listed in the database for Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.
Units applying for the Beacon Award are evaluated on three domains—patient outcomes, work environment and nursing workforce. The award is recognized on a tiered basis, working on Beacon/Undesignated, Bronze, Silver and Gold. To apply for the Beacon Award, units must take a survey focused on a healthy work environment and submit stories and data.
“We started this journey in December 2023, wrote several stories and provided lots of data surrounding patient outcomes, workforce retention and education throughout 2024, and finally submitted our completed application in August 2024,” Shelby said.
Once units submit all the required materials, the Beacon committee reviews applications and analyzes the results based on the tiered award system before deciding the designation each unit can receive. 8 West has been designated Silver through 2027.
“I am incredibly proud of this team,” Shelby said. “They truly exemplify what teamwork, collaboration and compassionate care mean for their patients and their co-workers. This award is more than a plaque we get to display. It establishes the culture we have created as a team and will continue to work towards for years to come. They should all be proud of the work they do every single day. I am proud to get to serve this team.”
