Circleville, Ohio – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has conferred a Bronze-level Beacon Award for Excellence on the ICU at OhioHealth Berger Hospital. This prestigious recognition is notable—more than 575 units nationwide applied for the award last year.
The Beacon Award for Excellence celebrates unit caregivers who achieve exceptional patient outcomes while fostering a healthy work environment. Units that earn the award meet AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards, demonstrating a systematic, evidence-based approach to patient care and nursing excellence. This year, four units applied for recognition in one or two individual modules, reflecting a growing commitment to advancing patient outcomes and workplace culture.
AACN President Rebekah Marsh, BSN, RN, CCRN, applauds the ICU team at OhioHealth Berger Hospital for their dedication. “The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in outstanding units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes,” Marsh said. “Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.”
“Our ICU team embodies the very best of patient-centered care,” said Casey Liddy, president of OhioHealth Berger Hospital. “This recognition reflects not only their clinical expertise but also their dedication to creating a supportive and collaborative environment where patients and families feel truly cared for every day.”
While many units provide exceptional care, Beacon-awarded units distinguish themselves through measurable achievements in patient outcomes, nursing workforce excellence, and work environment quality. Participation in the Beacon Award program allows units to reflect on performance against peers nationwide, often with award-level distinctions separated by less than a single point, highlighting the rigor and competitiveness of this recognition.
The ICU at OhioHealth Berger Hospital joins a national network of Beacon Award recipients, setting a standard for outstanding care, teamwork, and professional nursing practice.
Berger Hospital ICU team members pose with their award. The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers who achieve exceptional patient outcomes while fostering a healthy work environment.
About OhioHealth
Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.
Serving its communities since 1891, OhioHealth is a family of 36,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 16 hospitals, three joint-venture hospitals, one managed-affiliate hospital, 200+ ambulatory sites and other health services spanning a 50-county area. It has been recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” 15 times since 2007. For more information, visit ohiohealth.com.
About the Beacon Award for Excellence
Established in 2003, the Beacon Award for Excellence offers a road map to help guide exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction. U.S. and Canadian units where patients receive their principal nursing care after hospital admission qualify for this excellence award. Units that receive the Beacon Award for Excellence meet criteria in six categories: leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication, knowledge management, and learning and development; evidence-based practice and processes; and outcome measurement. To learn more, visit www.aacn.org/beacon or call 800-899-2226.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
For more than 50 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with about 130,000 members and over 200 chapters in the United States.
