American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recognizes Intensive Care Unit at Bassett Medical Center with Beacon Award for Excellence

COOPERSTOWN – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recently conferred a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

The Beacon Award for Excellence – a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments – recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve unit outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that earn this award with a gold, silver, or bronze designation meet specific criteria established by the AACN that represent the characteristics and components of the unit environment that nurses can influence to achieve nursing excellence.

“The silver-level Beacon Award recognizes the highly effective systems in place at Bassett Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit. We appreciate AACN awarding us for this honor,” says Christina Curcio, MSN-RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Nursing at Bassett Medical Center. “A key component of this award is continual learning, which we encourage in all of our units. 44 nurses work at Bassett Medical Center’s ICU and more than 36 percent of them carry specialized certifications in critical care, elevating them professionally and showcasing the expertise they bring to each patients’ bedside.”  

AACN President Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, applauds the commitment of the caregivers at the ICU at Bassett Medical Center for working together to meet and exceed the high standards set forth by the Beacon Award for Excellence to achieve a silver 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. Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care,” she explains.

This designation was awarded to the Bassett Medical Center ICU in 2024 and is valid through 2027.