Newswise — Employees of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) work toward a core vision – a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families where acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.
This shared ideal unites the 145 employees and inspires their efforts. Some are nurses themselves, bringing years of patient care experience and a frontline perspective to the association. Others have non-clinical backgrounds, including technology, finance, communications, project management and administration.
Founded in 1969, the association focuses on meeting the professional needs of more than 500,000 nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients. It is now the largest specialty nursing association in the world.
Acute and critical care nurses rely on AACN as a trusted source of expert knowledge and influence, helping them fulfill their promise to patients and their families. And that mission drives AACN’s efforts and commitment to excellence.
To ensure the association is positioned to advance its vital mission and is living up to the healthy work environment standards it believes in, employees complete an annual survey through Quantum Workplace, an employee feedback company known for its Best Places to Work contest.
Based on results from the 2015 survey, AACN was one of 12 national organizations recognized with Quantum’s Employee Voice Awards (EVA) and the only organization among 150 eligible clients to receive awards in both EVA categories – raising engagement and achieving the highest level of engagement.
“The best workplaces are those that work on getting better every day. They view their culture as a competitive weapon,” said Greg Harris, Quantum president and CEO. “Employee engagement is more than just an annual survey. It takes listening, action and follow-up.”
Employee engagement is measured by the ability and willingness of individuals to go the extra mile for the benefit of the organization, their tendency to speak highly of the organization and their intent to stay at the organization.
“Never before have I worked with a team of colleagues so committed to a mission. The high level of engagement that these awards recognize is inspired by the tireless work that the nurses in our community do to assure that patients and their families are supported at the most vulnerable times in their lives,” said Dana Woods, AACN CEO.
Mitzi Inman, senior chapter associate, has worked at AACN for 25 years and supports the activities of its more than 225 local chapters.
“I like knowing that what I do on a day-to-day basis really makes a difference in people’s lives. It warms my heart to know that helping nurses to be the best they can be, in turn helps all the patients and families they take care of,” she said. “AACN is a very positive, team-oriented environment consisting of staff who truly care about our members.”
The accolades are sure to continue, as the recent 2016 employee engagement survey had 100 percent participation among AACN employees, compared to 93 percent last year.
“Our team members rally around our mission and our top concern is always the nurses we serve. With that kind of alignment around a common goal, it’s impossible not to be engaged. Just as we ask our nurses to advocate for their patients by providing the best patient care possible, we strive to be champions of our own personal engagement by doing our best work every day,” said Tracey Carter, AACN organizational excellence specialist.
About Quantum Workplace: Quantum Workplace delivers smart tools for achieving and recognizing workplace awesomeness. When work is awesome, employees are engaged, clients are loyal and business is good. Quantum Workplace serves more than 5,000 organizations annually through employee engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations and goal tracking. For more information, visit www.quantumworkplace.com.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 225 chapters worldwide. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. www.aacn.org; www.facebook.com/aacnface; twitter.com/aacnme; linkedin.com/company/aacn
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