Sarasota Memorial wins Emergency Department award from nursing group

Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department is among 16 in the nation honored this week with the Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association.

According to the ENA, the Lantern “recognizes emergency departments that demonstrate exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research.’’

Sarasota Memorial received the award for a three-year period following an extensive application process that highlighted patient and staff satisfaction and performance improvement programs. Among the programs mentioned: a reduction in patient wait times, a reduction in patient stay times in the Emergency Department and the establishment of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program. Nurse retention rates were also considered.

"This distinguished award recognizes the hard work and extraordinary dedication of our entire Emergency Care team," Sarasota Memorial Emergency Care Centers Director Lisa Collins-Brown, MSN, RN, NEA-BC said in a prepared statement. "They go above and beyond to provide safe, top-quality care to the tens of thousands of ill and injured community members who come through our doors."

The winners will be recognized in September at the Emergency Nurses Association gathering in Pittsburgh.