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South County Hospital, a part of South County Health, achieved its second Pathway to Excellence re-designation (initial designation was in 2012), by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Pathway to Excellence recognizes healthcare facilities that create positive work environments where nurses can flourish, and are deemed a best place to work, with high nurse satisfaction and retention. Research shows that healthy work environments improve nurse satisfaction, as well as patient satisfaction and quality of care.
“We are committed to creating an environment where nurses excel and feel valued as integral members of the healthcare team. The multiple exemplars used to validate each element of performance for our written application is a testament to the outstanding care that our nurses provide to our patients at South County Hospital,” said Anne Schmidt, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer. “The credit for this designation belongs to our nursing staff and interprofessional team – and illustrates the incredible perseverance, patience, and passion that our frontline staff embrace, and help us to achieve compassionate, safe, and quality patient outcomes, under what can be challenging and dynamic conditions. I am extraordinarily proud to guide, mentor, work alongside of, and offer the support to them that they deserve.”
The Pathway to Excellence designation is based on the presence of the six Practice Standards and 69 elements of performance, which include shared decision-making, leadership, safety, quality, well-being, and professional development. For an organization to earn the Pathway to Excellence distinction, it must successfully undergo a thorough review process for each practice standard and to be able to demonstrate integration of these standards into the facility’s management practices, operational policies and culture. Nurses in the organization then validate the presence of the criterion through the completion of a survey.