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Three ChristianaCare Intensive Care Units Receive the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

All seven Beacon Award-winning units in Delaware are at ChristianaCare

May 29, 2025

3 min

Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC

ChristianaCare has once again been recognized by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) for its exceptional complex care. The AACN has awarded the Beacon Award for Excellence to three intensive care units at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware: the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), the Surgical Critical Care Complex (SCCC), and the Transitional Surgical Unit (TSU)


Beacon Awards honor critical-care nursing units that demonstrate exceptional patient care, improved patient health outcomes, a supportive work environment and opportunities for collaboration. The Beacon Award is widely considered to be the most prestigious award in critical-care nursing.


“The Beacon Award shines a light on individual nursing units for their commitment to providing critically ill patients with exceptional care and evidence-based practices,” said Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive at ChristianaCare. “These awards reflect nursing excellence and commitment to exceptional health outcomes, an outstanding work environment and superior patient experience.”


AACN President Jennifer Adamski, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, applauds the commitment of the caregivers at ChristianaCare for working together to meet and exceed the high standards set forth by the Beacon Award for Excellence. These dedicated healthcare professionals join other members of our exceptional community of nurses, who set the standard for optimal patient care.


“The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in outstanding units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes. Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care,” Adamski said.


Consecutive successes

Each of these units has received multiple Beacon Awards.


• The MICU has been continuously recognized as a Beacon unit since 2009. It is the sixth time that the MICU—Delaware’s first Beacon Award-winning unit—has received the national award, with four silver and two gold recognitions. The unit holds the most Beacon Awards in Delaware.

• The SCCC received a silver-level award for the fourth time.

• The TSU received a gold-level award for the first time, after receiving two silver-level awards.


“For us to be designated for such a consecutive amount of time is a testament to the ongoing, intensive work that we do and the focus on excellence that we have,” said Carol Ritter, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNML, nurse manager for the MICU.


“It’s an affirmation of the care that the nurses provide and the excellence that they bring every day, using advanced protocols and the latest technology and research.”


Beacon-designated units are renowned for their healthy work environments and high morale, which results in strong relationships among the nurses and outstanding patient care.


“Our nurses are committed to providing exceptional care and patient outcomes,” said Amanda Latina, MSN, MBA, RN, TCRN, nurse manager of the TSU and SCCC. “They embody what it means to be a critical-care nurse.”


Of the seven Beacon Award-winning patient care units currently in Delaware, all are at Christiana Hospital in Newark. These include the Neuro Critical Care Unit (silver), the Cardiovascular Stepdown Unit 4E (silver), the Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex (three-time gold winner), the Transitional Medical Unit and the 3C Intermediate Medical Unit (both silver).

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Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC

Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC

Chief Nurse Executive

Danielle Weber is the chief nurse executive at ChristianaCare.

Caregiver EngagementHealthcare Management
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