Beacon Award-Winning Caregivers of Christiana Hospital’s Medical Intensive Care Unit
'We had a noble job to do, which was taking care of very sick patients. Everybody came together and stepped into their role.'
‘It is a testament to our nurses and the entire care team that we continued to reach milestones in patient safety and satisfaction even during the COVID-19 pandemic.’
—Carol Ritter, Nurse Manager
Because of the caregivers on the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at Christiana Hospital, ChristianaCare is the first health system in the nation to earn five consecutive Beacon Awards for Excellence in critical care nursing from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The highest achievement in critical care nursing, Beacon awards celebrate the professional commitment of a nursing team to go above and beyond to provide respectful, expert care.
A spirit of solidarity is at the heart of the 24-bed MICU. It is a driving force behind the unit’s dedication to giving the most vulnerable patients the highest levels of care on a consistent basis. The nurses on this high-performing unit achieved new heights in quality and safety even as the MICU became a ground zero for patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic, reducing or eliminating hospital-acquired infections.
It is the fifth time that the MICU—Delaware’s first Beacon Award-winning unit—has received the national award and the second time it has earned the gold level. The unit holds the most Beacon Awards in Delaware.
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