And the winners are…
American Nurse Journal conducts the annual All Pro Nursing Team Awards to provide nursing teams from any setting with the opportunity to describe projects focused on patient safety, improved outcomes, nurse wellness, staff retention, and more. Every year, we receive submissions that highlight nursing excellence, scientific rigor, empathetic patient care, and profound dedication to the profession.
Awards criteria include communication, responsiveness, and adaptability, as well as demonstrating a winning formula that drives optimal patient outcomes. This year’s submissions included thoughtful essays, which described what it takes to build and sustain professional nursing teams.
As in previous years, 2024 applications inspired awe among the evaluators. They showcased the creativity and dedication to quality patient care that makes teamwork such an important component of nursing care excellence. I’m always impressed with how each team describes their contributions, what makes them so special, and why they’re deserving of this recognition.
Collaboration: The key to patient care success
The top winner this year is the Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center ICU team, which integrated the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) A-F Liberation bundle into the unit’s daily practice. The SCCM created the bundle to reduce length of stay, increase mobility, and decrease mortality in the ICU by focusing on five elements of care: pain management, awakening and breathing trials, sedation, delirium prevention, early mobility, and family involvement.
The outcomes of bundle implementation speak for themselves and two are noteworthy. In 2014, the average ICU length of stay was 4.2 days. Ten years later, the average length of stay was 1.47 days. In addition, despite high national ICU RN turnover and vacancy rates, at the end of 2023, the vacancy rate at Raritan Bay Medical Center was 0%. You can read more about this team in the article, Collaboration: The key to patient care success.
And don’t miss the successes of the other award winners:
- First runner up: The Baptist Health South Florida team implemented “Real Talk” sessions to address the unique vulnerabilities of newly licensed nurses.
- Second runner up: At Chilton Medical Center, the cardiac rehab team successfully improved patients’ mental health by incorporating mindfulness and other proven strategies into care plans.
- Third runner up: Parkland Health enhanced nurse-physician relationships with its C.R.E.A.T.E mentorship program, which generates a thriving nurse-physician work environment.
Thank you to all of the teams who submitted their stories, illuminating the hard work and dedication of everyone committed to improved patient outcomes and enhanced nursing work environments. American Nurse Journal is proud to shine a light on teamwork that enhances effectiveness and outcomes—for patients and staff. Congratulations!
Lillee Gelinas, DNP, RN, CPPS, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief
American Nurse Journal. 2024; 19(4). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ042404
