Cardiac Step-down Unit at AdventHealth Zephyrhills receives Beacon Award for Excellence

Cardiac Step-down Unit at AdventHealth Zephyrhills recognized with Beacon Award for Excellence (photo courtesy: AdventHealth) American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognizes the Cardiac Step-down Unit at AdventHealth Zephyrhills with Beacon Award for Excellence
 
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. (March 18, 2025) – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), Aliso Viejo, California, recently conferred a bronze-level Beacon Award for Excellence on the cardiac step-down unit at AdventHealth Zephyrhills.
 
The Beacon Award for Excellence is a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments. It recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve unit outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that earn this annual award with a gold, silver or bronze designation meet specific criteria established by AACN that represent the characteristics and components of the unit environment that nurses can influence to achieve nursing excellence.
 
“AdventHealth Zephyrhills not only strives to provide the best medical care, but to foster a supportive environment for our workforce,” said Gwen Alonso, VP and Chief Nursing Officer for AdventHealth Zephyrhills. “We are honored to receive this recognition, which highlights our commitment to the best possible medical outcomes for patients as well as our efforts to create a positive work culture and ensure our medical staff have the tools and resources they need to succeed.”
 
AACN President Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, applauds the commitment of the caregivers at the cardiac step-down unit at AdventHealth Zephyrhills for working together to meet and exceed the high standards set forth by the Beacon Award for Excellence to achieve a Bronze level designation. These dedicated healthcare professionals join other members of our exceptional community of nurses, who set the standard for optimal patient care.
 
“The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in outstanding units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes,” explained Adamski. “Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.”
 
Many units provide exceptional patient care however Beacon Awarded units distinguish themselves by excelling in many areas demonstrated in their application. Through participation in the Beacon Award Program units can compare and reflect on their performance compared to global applicants. There are very subtle differences for different scoring levels, often differentiated by 1 point or less. All awardees demonstrate dynamic and outstanding performance in the areas of: Patient Outcomes, Nursing Workforce and Work Environment.
 
“The patients in the cardiac step-down unit are still on the road to recovery and it’s our job to offer them the best possible care for their mind, body and spirit,” said Eve Zagic, the cardiac step-down unit’s nurse manager. “This designation shows how our nursing team excels in creating that type of environment for our patients and for the medical staff who come in and serve every day.”
 
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: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than half a million acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 200 chapters in the United States. 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. To learn more about AACN, visit www.aacn.org (http://www.aacn.org/) , connect with the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aacnface or follow AACN on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aacnme .
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