What’s New with Beacon?

2. What’s New with Beacon? AACN National Teaching Institute May 2010 Washington D.C.

3. Today’s Topics • Brief history of Beacon • Beacon changes • Criteria • Review process • Scoring • New resources coming soon

4. A Little History • Established in 2003 • 42 questions in 6 categories • Available for Adult Critical Care, Progressive Care and Pediatric Critical Care only

5. Beacon Award Program Goals • Recognition of unit level excellence in practice and patient outcomes • Answer the question “What does an excellent critical care unit look like?” • Share best practices from excellent units

6. Success to date • 315 units recognized since 2003 • 127 units recognized this year • 52 units multiple winners

7. What We’ve Learned • Beacon award aligns with other nationally recognized quality programs • Baldrige • Magnet • National Quality Forum (NQF) • AACN Standards for Achieving and Sustaining a Healthy Work Environment

9. What We’ve Learned • Blind review didn’t provide sufficient context for evaluation • Review cycle too long • We need to be able to share best practices among units

10. What’s the Same? • Web-based application and feedback process • 360 degree evaluation of your unit • Independent review by trained reviewers • Tools and resources available on the Beacon website

11. What’s Different • Award extended from 1 to 3 years • Eliminated steps in the process – no more requests for additional information • Focus on “how”

12. What’s Different • Evaluation changed from “meets, does not meet, exceeds” to numerical scoring to allow units to measure improvement over time • Implemented 3 levels of award – bronze, silver and gold

13. What’s Better • Added unit profile to fully describe the relationships and structure of your unit • Expanded criteria to allow any unit where patients receive their principle nursing care after admission to apply • Addition of Executive Summary to feedback

14. 2010 Beacon Criteria

15. Beacon Categories

16. Unit Profile • Key characteristics that define your work group, unit or microsystem

17. Leadership Structures & Systems • How unit leaders ensure a healthy work environment that delivers the best care for patients and families • 150 points

18. Appropriate Staffing & Staff Engagement • How the unit engages, manages and develops staff? • 100 points

19. Effective Communication, Knowledge Management & Best Practices • How the unit ensures effective communication, staff competency and management of knowledge sharing • 100 points

20. Evidence-based Practice and Processes • How staff are engaged to achieve better patient outcomes, improve processes and stay current with evidence-based practice and research • 200 points

21. Patient Outcomes • The unit’s key nurse-sensitive patient outcome measures and results • 450 points

22. Application & Review Process • On-line application submission and payment process • $1,500 for 3 year designation • 38 questions in 6 areas • Text and charts

23. Application & Review Process • Independent review & score • Senior review • Executive summary • Final score • Feedback report

24. Award Levels

27. Scoring • Unit will receive a score for each area • Leadership Structures & Systems • Appropriate Staffing & Staff Engagement • Effective Communication, Knowledge Management & Best Practices • Evidence-based Practices & Processes • Patient Outcomes

28. Scoring • Category scores will be multiplied by the total number of points available for that category Example - Leadership 150 points * 60% score = 90 points

29. Leadership Staffing Communication Evidence-based practice Patient outcomes Total Points 150 * 50% = 75 100 * 65% = 65 100 * 55% = 55 200 * 60% = 120 450 * 40% = 180 495 Scoring

30. Resources • Beacon Criteria Brochure – May • Beacon Audit Tool - May • Applying for the Beacon Award for Excellence Webinar – July

31. Next Steps • Read the entire application booklet • Review the scoring system • Understand the meaning of key terms in the glossary • Prepare the unit profile • Complete the Beacon assessment tool • Develop & submit your application

33. Questions?

34. Thank you for pursuing excellence tracy.barron@aacn.org justine.medina@aacn.org