July 02, 2013

Maria Newsad

Jeannie Burnie

Bethesda North’s Emergency Department was one of just nine recipients from across the country awarded the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) annual Lantern Award.

The Lantern Award is given annually to emergency departments across the country who exemplify exceptional and innovative performance in the core areas of leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research.

The award is a visible symbol of an emergency department’s commitment to quality, presence of a healthy work environment and accomplishment in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care. All emergency departments are eligible for the Lantern Award.

“These are challenging times and the landscape of emergency care today is filled with complex situations that demand exceptional leadership and strong, cohesive teams and that is exactly what we have in place in the Emergency Department at Bethesda North,” said Maria Newsad, Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department at Bethesda North Hospital.

“Emergency Departments are the safety net for millions of patients each year. They see patients when they are most in need of help. The Lantern Award was designed to recognize those departments whose commitment to excellence truly exceeds normal practice,” added Newsad.

Emergency Departments recognized by ENA were evaluated on a wide variety of performance and outcome metrics, as well as qualitative questions about noteworthy practices and attributes of the emergency department focusing on their commitment to excellence and innovation.

“This emergency department accreditation recognizes our commitment to quality, creating a healthy environment and incorporating evidence-based practices and innovation into emergency care,” said Jeannie Burnie, Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Emergency Department at Bethesda North Hospital.

“The designation also exemplifies a culture of excellence in emergency care, including strong leadership, practice credibility and workplace recognition.”

Lantern Award winners receive a physical award to display in their emergency department and recognition through Emergency Nurse Association publications, ENA conferences and the ENA website. In addition, award recipients are entitled to use an official Lantern Award seal in hospital advertising, such as billboards and magazines advertisements, for the duration of the award period.