The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses has honored two Salem Hospital units with the prestigious Beacon Award of Excellence for 2025.

The national award recognizes units for improving patient outcomes using AACN’s best practices in work environment, communication, collaboration, decision making, appropriate staffing, recognition and authentic leadership.

Salem Hospital's Cardiovascular Care Unit (CVCU), which includes 118 staff, earned the Gold (highest) level; the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which includes 202 staff, earned Silver, second highest. Beacon awards are considered among the highest recognition, following evaluation by AACN. From start to finish, the selection process lasts one year.

“This is more than award, it’s a powerful testament to their passion, resilience and unwavering commitment to exceptional patient care,” said Nancy Bee, Salem Health Director of Nursing Administration.

“This was incredible news for teams so deeply deserving,” said Chief Nursing Officer Sarah Horn, RN. “Our community is fortunate to benefit from this devotion and expertise. This level of recognition is never simply given — it’s earned through collaboration and perseverance.”

About the award

Established in 2003, AACN’s award recognizes top hospital units that meet standards of excellence in many areas: recruitment and retention; education, training and mentoring; research and evidence-based practice; patient outcomes; leadership and ethics; and healthy work environments.

For the ICU team, this award is especially meaningful given its history. Our ICU was the first in Oregon to earn a Beacon Award, in 2007. The ICU went on to earn many Beacon designations over the years, including three consecutive Silver awards, followed by a Gold in 2018.

“Earning a Beacon in the post-COVID era is a significant accomplishment,” said Brock Nelson, RN, Salem Health’s AACN Beacon Award Chair and ICU nurse. “The shared culture of accountability and improvement across the entire team made this possible. From bedside nurses to leadership, there’s a consistent commitment to high standards, strong collaboration — and looking for ways to improve patient care. That mindset is what truly drives outcomes like this.”

The CVCU first earned the Silver Beacon from 2013 to 2016, with redesignation from 2018 to 2021. The award then became annual in 2024, when the CVCU won the Silver again, followed by Gold last year. That placed them in the top 5% of the nation’s nursing units with outstanding measures in these standards: 

• Exceeds standards: We demonstrate a systematic approach to policies and processes that meet or surpass national benchmarks.

• Continuous improvement: We use evidence-based strategies for ongoing process enhancement.

• Healthy work environment: We maintain high morale, strong leadership and outstanding collaboration among caregivers.

“I hope you feel proud to be part of a team that demonstrates such proactive drive, selflessness and strength of character,” CVCU Nurse Manager Amanda Griffith, RN, told her unit during an awards presentation last month. “We choose this profession to serve humanity in its most vulnerable moments. That alone is remarkable. But to do it with sustained excellence? That fills my heart with endless gratitude and fulfillment.”

Griffith gave a special thanks to long-time CVCU Assistant Nurse Manager Heather Rideout for leading the CVCU application process and to the Unit Council for its efforts.