Four CHLA Units Win Beacon Healthcare Awards from AACN
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has proudly announced that four of its inpatient care units have been honored with the prestigious 2024 Beacon Awards for Excellence by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is celebrating the recent recognition of four of its inpatient care units with the prestigious 2024 Beacon Awards for Excellence, awarded by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). This recognition highlights the hospital’s commitment to providing exceptional care and delivering superior clinical outcomes, patient safety, and family-centered care.
The Beacon Award is one of the most prestigious honors for healthcare units that demonstrate outstanding patient outcomes, quality improvement initiatives, work environment, and professional development opportunities for nursing staff. These units are evaluated based on several critical areas, including patient experience, safety, nursing practices, and educational growth for nursing staff.
“This honor is a reflection of the unwavering dedication and hard work of our nursing teams, who are committed to our mission of creating hope and building healthier futures for children,” said Kelly M. Johnson, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at CHLA. “The recognition also highlights our hospital’s ability to attract and retain highly skilled and specialized nurses, which contributes to our ability to enhance clinical outcomes and provide a child-friendly, family-centered healing environment.”
The four CHLA units recognized with Beacon Awards are as follows:
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) – The PICU earned a Gold Beacon Award, recognizing its exceptional care for critically ill children and its ability to provide high-quality, specialized care for those in need of intensive treatment.
- Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) – The Silver Beacon Award was awarded to this unit within the Heart Institute, which cares for pediatric patients undergoing heart surgery or those with complex cardiovascular conditions.
- 5 East and 5 West – These two medical-surgical units, located on the 5th floor of CHLA, provide specialized care for children with chronic conditions such as diabetes and cystic fibrosis, and for infants transitioning from the hospital’s newborn and infant critical care unit. The units also care for children with respiratory illnesses, infectious diseases, and those requiring long-term mechanical ventilation support. Both units received the Beacon Award for their continued excellence.
The Cardiovascular Acute Care Unit, which already holds a Gold-level Beacon Award through March 2026, further solidifies CHLA’s recognition with a total of five Beacon Award-recognized units.
The process for determining Beacon status involves a comprehensive evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative data from each unit. This data includes hospital-acquired conditions that are considered “nursing sensitive indicators,” which focus on the quality of care provided by nursing staff and its impact on clinical outcomes. These indicators include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, falls with injury rates, and pressure injuries caused by friction. The hospital’s nursing experience, turnover rates, and professional certification rates are also taken into consideration.
“The data submitted for the Beacon Awards provides valuable information for families as they make healthcare decisions for their children,” Johnson explained. “This award process highlights not only the clinical outcomes but also the safety and quality of care that we provide to every patient who walks through our doors.”
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Founded in 1901, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is one of the leading pediatric hospitals in the country, offering world-class care and a full range of services to children and families. CHLA is renowned for its multidisciplinary approach, where pediatric specialists collaborate to ensure the best care for children, no matter their medical needs. The hospital is ranked among the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is the top-ranked children’s hospital in California and the Pacific U.S. region for 2024-25.
As a leader in pediatric research and education, CHLA is dedicated to advancing child health through the Saban Research Institute, which drives groundbreaking discoveries and translates them into effective treatments for children. The hospital is also a top provider of training programs for pediatricians and a leader in healthcare innovation. Its commitment to community extends beyond healthcare, with initiatives focused on fighting food insecurity, improving health education, and encouraging more individuals to pursue careers in healthcare.
Through its Beacon Award-recognized units and ongoing efforts in patient care, research, and education, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles continues to lead the way in providing the highest standard of pediatric care.
