NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Adult ICU Recognized with American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Gold-Level Beacon Award for Excellence
The adult intensive care unit at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan achieved a total Beacon score that exceeded the 2024 national median and is one of three ICUs within the health system to receive a gold-level distinction This national three-year award marks a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and achieving a healthy work environment
Apr 17, 2025
New York, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan announced today that the Adult Intensive Care Unit received a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). The unit achieved a total Beacon score that exceeded the 2024 national median and is one of three ICUs within the health system to receive a gold-level distinction.
The Beacon Award for Excellence—a hallmark of an institution’s commitment to exemplary clinical practice—recognizes medical units whose caregivers demonstrate success in enhancing patient outcomes and upholding the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ (AACN) six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Awarded at bronze, silver, or gold levels for a three-year term, this recognition designates the unit as meeting national benchmarks aligned with notable distinctions such as the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the National Quality Healthcare Award.
A prestigious recognition, the gold-level Beacon Award affirms Metropolitan Hospital’s Adult ICU as a unit that fosters an empowering and supportive work environment with strong collaboration between staff and leadership. Achieving this honor requires meeting following evidence-based criteria outlined by the Beacon Award for Excellence:
- Leadership structures and systems
- Appropriate staffing and staff engagement
- Effective communication, knowledge management and learning and development
- Evidence-based practice and processes
- Outcome measurement
“This gold-level Beacon Award is a powerful recognition of what we have always known—Metropolitan Hospital has a legacy built on excellence, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our patients. At the very heart of that legacy are our nurses, whose skill and dedication to patients and the wider community elevate the care we provide every day. This honor is driven by and belongs to them,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer, Julian S. John.
“I am extremely proud to congratulate our nurses in the Adult Intensive Care Unit of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan for earning the renowned gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association Of Critical-Care Nurses,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive Natalia Cineas, DNP, MSM-N, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, FADLN. “This impressive achievement demonstrates how nurses in Metropolitan’s Adult ICU are maintaining a positive and supportive work environment with a high degree of collaboration between colleagues and providers, nurturing empowerment and leadership. Metropolitan Adult ICU exemplifies nursing excellence and our nurses daily display their commitment and dedication in caring for acutely-ill patients and their families; we salute their exciting accomplishment.”
“Nurses are the soul of health systems worldwide. This Gold Beacon Award recognizing our nurses at the Metropolitan Adult ICU reflects their relentless pursuit of excellence, deep compassion, and leadership in delivering extraordinary care,” said Chief Nursing Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, Christopher G. Wilson, MSN, RN, CNML, CENP, NEA-BC, FACHE. “At the time of our hospital’s founding 150 years ago, we set the standard—and this designation proves we have continued leading the way.”
“More than a symbol—this year’s Beacon Award is a reflection of the resilience, compassion, and clinical excellence our inpatient nursing teams bring to the bedside every single day. It honors a culture built not only on best practices but also on heart,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Director of Nursing, Inpatient Medical Services, Andrew Wuthrich, MBA, MSN, RN, ONC, NE-BC, CPAN. “Our outcome gains and interdisciplinary collaboration—such as our shared decision to acquire safe patient handling equipment for early mobility—show how we turn evidence-based goals, like reducing length of stay, into everyday practice. Our nurses don’t just care for patients—they advocate, they lead, and they heal.”
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MEDIA CONTACT: Domonique Chaplin (chaplind@nychhc.org), 212 423-7782.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is a 338-bed facility serving East Harlem and surrounding communities. Known historically as the primary healthcare provider in El Barrio, Metropolitan delivers high-quality, compassionate care to over 350,000 clinic patients and more than 50,000 emergency room visitors annually. The hospital is a designated Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Center of Excellence and a recognized leader in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equity. Metropolitan has earned numerous honors, including the Beacon, Lantern, AORN, and DAISY Awards, a Leapfrog “A” Grade for patient safety, and national recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals list. With a legacy spanning 150 years, Metropolitan maintains the nation’s oldest hospital-college affiliation through its longstanding partnership with New York Medical College. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/metropolitan.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About the Beacon Award for Excellence
Established in 2003, the Beacon Award for Excellence offers a road map to help guide exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction. U.S. and Canadian units where patients receive their principal nursing care after hospital admission qualify for this excellence award. Units that receive the Beacon Award for Excellence meet criteria in six categories: leadership structures and systems; appropriate staffing and staff engagement; effective communication, knowledge management, and learning and development; evidence-based practice and processes; and outcome measurement. To learn more, visit www.aacn.org/beacon or call (800) 899-2226.
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 half a million acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 200 chapters in the United States. 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. To learn more about AACN, visit www.aacn.org, connect with the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aacnface or follow AACN on Twitter at @AACNme.
