The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) announced the recipients of fall 2009 Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence.  The AACN named 54 units – including 45 adult, six pediatric critical care and three progressive care units.  Beacon Awards recognize adult and pediatric critical care and progressive care units that meet evidence-based standards of excellence and patient safety. Recipients of this coveted prize will be recognized at AACN’s 2010 National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition (NTI), Washington, May 15-20. NTI is the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and families.

"Beacon Award recipients join an elite community of adult, pediatric and progressive care units that embrace evidence-based standards of excellence in recruitment, retention, education, training and mentoring. Units that receive this award serve as shining role models to others that seek to optimize the care they provide to patients and families,"explains AACN President Beth Hammer, RN, MSN, APRN-BC.