This global recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center honors positive practice environments that lead to high-quality patient care

(ELKTON MD. – October 1, 2026)

ChristianaCare Union Hospital has earned the Pathway to Excellence® designation with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This global recognition honors healthcare organizations where nurses deliver outstanding care built on an exceptional work culture.

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This is Union Hospital’s third Pathway to Excellence designation: The hospital was the first in Maryland to receive the Pathway designation in 2013. Union is one of 316 healthcare organizations worldwide with a Pathway designation and one of only 27 to earn the designation with distinction. Organizations that achieve Pathway with Distinction exceed the program’s standard requirements in the application review and staff survey.

“This designation reflects the best of our nurses and all our caregivers at Union Hospital,” said Jenn Schwartz, ChristianaCare president and CEO. “I am incredibly proud of this amazing team of caregivers. In serving together, they are champions of nursing excellence who deliver high-quality care and positive outcomes for our neighbors in Cecil County.”

The designation recognizes organizations that excel in six key areas called “standards” shared decision-making, leadership, safety, quality, well-being and professional development. The standards support a positive practice environment where nurses are an integral part of the healthcare team with a voice in shaping policy and practice.

Among the key achievements the ANCC highlighted in Union Hospital’s designation are:

• a data-driven falls reduction program, developed with direct care nurse input, which resulted in a significant decrease in patient falls.
• comprehensive caregiver support programs and wellness initiatives, helping address stress and compassion fatigue.
• professional development initiatives encouraging nurses to pursue certification, leadership development and scholarly work, including publication of best-practice projects.

The ANCC considers Pathway organizations as leaders in enhancing the quality of care, patient and nurse safety and the future of healthcare delivery. ANCC reports that nurses at Pathway organizations are engaged, resulting in higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, improved safety and better patient outcomes.

“Union Hospital’s caregivers lead with compassion, embrace innovation, support one another and never lose sight of our mission to serve our neighbors with love and excellence,” said Joan Pirrung, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, president of Cecil County Campus.

Achieving the Pathway designation reflects years of dedication by nurses and other caregivers across Cecil County Campus to build a culture where professional excellence and compassionate care thrive, said Chris Lenz, MSN, RN, CNML, chief nursing officer for Cecil County Campus.

“This achievement belongs to every caregiver on our campus,” Lenz said. “Whether they contributed directly to the application process or demonstrated the values it represents through their daily work, every caregiver played a role in creating the culture that earned this recognition.”

Union Hospital is a 99-bed acute care facility and is part of ChristianaCare, one of the nation’s leading health systems, serving the residents of Cecil County and the surrounding region with a focus on high-quality, compassionate care.

Union Hospital’s recent recognitions also include earning an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group; the 2026 Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award; and a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

“The elite designation of Pathway to Excellence with Distinction is earned by meeting higher-level validation survey thresholds, underscoring exemplary leadership and a steadfast commitment to supporting your team,” said Christine Pabico, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, senior director of Pathway to Excellence and Well-Being Excellence at ANCC. “This achievement reflects the dedication and collaborative efforts of your entire team in fostering a positive practice environment.”

At Union Hospital, “this recognition is an important milestone, but it is also a foundation for the future,” Lenz said. “The Pathway framework will continue to guide efforts to strengthen caregiver engagement, support professional development and enhance the patient experience.”

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About ChristianaCare

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, and innovating to make high-quality care more accessible, equitable and affordable. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, four hospitals (1,440 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute and a 10-bed neighborhood hospital in West Grove, PA.

ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work. ChristianaCare is rated by Newsweek as one of the World’s Best Hospitals and is continually ranked among the best in the U.S. in national quality and safety ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care.

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