It is with great pride and excitement that Rochester Regional Health’s St. Lawrence Region announces its three local hospitals and clinical sites have earned the Pathway to Excellence® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
The St. Lawrence Region is the only system of hospitals in New York State to achieve this prestigious global credential. It includes Canton-Potsdam, Gouverneur, and Massena hospitals, along with all their respective clinical offices. Worldwide, 235 organizations have earned the designation, with 210 of them being within the United States.
It took the entire team of St. Lawrence Region (SLR) nurses three years to receive Pathway designation, which demonstrates their commitment to assuring nurses are involved in making decisions within the organization.
SLR Pathway/Magnet Program Director Jolene Carotunuto, RN, pointed out that nursing is the largest profession in healthcare, and the SL nurses have a drive and passion for what they do, and a loyalty to the patients they care for.
“Nurses provide highly personalized patient care and are in-tune with their patients’ needs. The voice of nurses brings a unique focus to organizational decisions and high-quality results to patient-focused initiatives,” Director Carotenuto said.
The journey to becoming a Pathway organization involved joining the efforts of all the SLR nurses to standardize structures and procedures among the hospitals and clinical offices. They focused on the Pathway Standards by combining shared decision-making, leadership, safety, quality, well-being, and professional development across all the facilities, which provided nurses with the building blocks upon which nursing excellence can grow.
“To say I am proud of our nursing team for achieving this designation would be an understatement,” noted SL Region VP, Chief Nursing & Patient Care Officer Christina Latta, RN.
“Receiving our Pathway to Excellence designation took years in the making and our nursing team proved they were up for the task. I am proud to be a part of a team that believes in nursing excellence, well-being, and maintaining a positive culture in the work environment,” Chief Nursing Officer Latta continued. “Through shared decision-making we empower our nurses to have a voice, and practice autonomy resulting in improved patient outcomes, higher engagement, and greater retention.”
Carotenuto noted that in being Pathway designated, the SLR of Rochester Regional Health promotes positivity for existing nurses. Furthermore, it serves as an attraction for bringing new nurses to the team.
“Hospitals that obtain the Pathway designation have a healthy work environment where nurses practice with independence and professional integrity. Nurses who work in such organizations experience higher workplace satisfaction and professional growth. These hospitals also experience increased recruitment and retention of high-quality clinical nurses and nurse leaders,” she stated.
“Nurses are interested in working at Pathway-designated organizations because they directly involve nurses in creating a positive workplace. In using their voices to influence decisions within a hospital or system, nurses at Pathway institutions are influential in building a high-performing organization that provides exceptional nursing care,” Carotenuto added.
Related Articles
