ATLANTA (Dec. 17, 2019) – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hughes Spalding Hospital has achieved The Pathway to Excellence designation for its dedication to nursing excellence. Conferred by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the world’s largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, this honor recognizes health care organizations for positive practice environments where nurses excel.
“The Pathway to Excellence designation is a prestigious honor and a major milestone for Children’s,” said Linda Cole, MBA, BSN, RN, FACHE, Chief Nursing and Hospital Operations Officer at Children's. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication and commitment to quality care demonstrated by our Hughes Spalding nursing staff. This marks an exciting time for Children’s as this announcement joins the recent Magnet designations earned by Egleston and Scottish Rite hospitals.”
Hughes Spalding is one of only three hospitals in Georgia to receive this honor. To achieve this designation, Hughes Spalding was required to submit documentation to the ANCC illustrating how nurses in every clinical area demonstrate the six program practice standards: shared decision-making, leadership, safety, quality, well-being and professional development. Additionally, Hughes Spalding nurses validated the data and other evidence submitted in an independent, confidential survey.
“Hughes Spalding is an invaluable resource to the community we serve, and our care providers go above and beyond to provide family-centered care to every child we encounter,” said Julia Jones, Vice President of Operations at Hughes Spalding. “While we have always known that our nursing team operates with excellence and compassion, this honor underscores that fact to a national audience. We are proud to join the company of other Pathway healthcare organizations.”
Linda and Julia received the official designation results call from the ANCC Vice Chair of Commission on Pathway to Excellence on Monday, Dec. 16, while joined by Donna Hyland, CEO at Children’s; Mary Beth Bova, Senior Vice President of Operations at Egleston; and Yvette Dean, Patient Care Services Director at Children’s. Hughes Spalding nurses gathered in the room to hear the call and participate in a celebration.
About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the trusted leader in caring for kids. The not-for-profit organization’s Mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs, top healthcare professionals, and leading research and technology. Children’s is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, managing more than 1 million patient visits annually at three hospitals, Marcus Autism Center, the Center for Advanced Pediatrics and 19 neighborhood locations. Consistently ranked among the top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s has impacted the lives of kids in Georgia, across the United States and around the world for more than 100 years thanks to generous support from the community.