MedStar Washington Hospital Center Wins 2022 ANCC Pathway Award^®, Sponsored by Oracle Cerner

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Keziah Proctor, 301.628.5197
keziah.proctor@ana.org

Shannon McClendon, 301.628.5391
shannon.mcclendon@ana.org

SILVER SPRING, MD—The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) announced today that MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, is the recipient of the 2022 ANCC Pathway Award®. The award, sponsored by Oracle Cerner, was presented at the co-located 2022 ANCC National Magnet Conference® and the ANCC Pathway to Excellence Conference® in Philadelphia. It honors a project proposal in a Pathway to Excellence®-designated organization that creates a positive nurse practice environment using innovation and technology.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center will use the $50,000 award to develop its winning proposal, WellBot, and report outcomes at next year’s Pathway to Excellence Conference®.

WellBot is a robotic wellness program designed to support staff well-being. As part of the front-line care team, WellBot performs wellness rounds focused on three key areas: caregiver recognition, just-in-time wellness checks, and access to a wellness resource hub. WellBot’s holistic approach goes beyond traditional hospital robots that perform efficiency-related tasks to identify, address, and support the wellness needs of the entire health care team.

“WellBot aligns with Pathway’s focus on well-being, as well as recommendations in the National Academy of Medicine’s National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being. It promotes a workplace culture of recognition, supports physical and mental health, engages effective technology tools, and prioritizes the associate experience throughout their employment journey,” said Tonya Washington, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, MedStar Washington Hospital Center. 

WellBot’s functions include:

• Delivering free, healthy snacks and personalized messages of recognition from leaders and other team members.
• Conducting short, on-the-spot surveys to assess stressors and specific needs of individuals and care teams in real time.
• Providing access to a centralized hub filled with up-to-date wellness resources and recommendations.
  
  

Because WellBot is focused on caregivers, it is relevant and applicable in all settings across the continuum of care and can be easily replicated by other organizations.

“Nurses continued to lead the delivery of care transformation, but it has come at cost over the last few years as we have seen issues such as burnout skyrocket,” said Liz Harvey, chief nursing officer, Oracle Cerner. “Oracle Cerner continues to work closely with our customers and partners to use technology to help alleviate the burden and better support our caregivers. The WellBot program goes above and beyond as a solution that supports nursing excellence and, in turn, better patient care. MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s recognition for this achievement is well deserved.”

“Research suggests that using state-of-the-art technology in the practice setting to promote well-being can lead to a more productive, happier, and engaged workforce,” said Rebecca Graystone, MS, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Vice President, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® and the Pathway to Excellence® Program. “ANCC is very pleased to recognize and reward MedStar Washington Hospital Center for its innovative proposal.”

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About the American Nurses Credentialing Center
The mission of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, is to promote excellence in nursing and health care globally through credentialing programs. ANCC's internationally renowned credentialing programs certify and recognize individual nurses in specialty practice areas. ANCC recognizes health care organizations that promote nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes while providing safe, positive work environments. In addition, ANCC accredits health care organizations that provide and approve continuing nursing education and accredits transition-to-practice programs that prepare nurses for new practice roles. For more information about ANCC, visit us at nursingworld.org/ANCC and follow us on Twitter. ANCC is the only nurse credentialing organization to successfully achieve ISO 9001: 2015 certification.

About the Pathway to Excellence® Program
The Pathway to Excellence® Program recognizes health care and long-term care organizations for positive practice environments where nurses excel. To qualify, organizations meet Pathway Standards essential to an ideal nursing practice environment. Nurses trust that Pathway-designated organizations respect their contributions, support professional development, and nurture optimal work settings.