Inspira Medical Center Elmer Becomes First in New Jersey to Receive PRISM® Award for Excellence in Nursing

On Jan 7, 2016

Inspira Medical Center Elmer has become the first hospital in New Jersey to receive the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses’ PRISM Award®. Theaward recognizes exceptional nursing practice, leadership, and outcomes in hospital medical-surgical departments across the United States.

The award, which stands for “Premier Recognition in the Specialty of Med-Surg,” is the first of its kind honoring acute care medical-surgical departments. The award, given to Inspira Elmer’s 2 East Medical-Surgical Unit at an award ceremony on January 4, was presented by co-sponsors the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB).

“We are honored to be the first in the state and one of only 10 hospitals in the nation to have received the PRISM Award,” said Elizabeth Sheridan, R.N., M.A., chief operating officer of Inspira Medical Center Elmer and Vineland. “The nurses and staff at Inspira Medical Center Elmer continue to distinguish our community hospital as an exceptional place to receive care.”

The PRISM award recognizes departments that have demonstrated excellence in exhibiting:

·                     Effective leadership

·                     Recruitment and retention of competent staff members

·                     Evidence-based practice

·                     Positive patient outcomes

·                     A healthy work environment

·                     Lifelong learning of unit staff members

According to AMSN, there are more than 600,000 medical-surgical nurses practicing in the United States today, making them the single largest group of specialty nurses working in hospital settings.