UF Health Jacksonville’s neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, has been honored with the prestigious Silver Beacon Award for Excellence by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, one of just three NICUs in the state to receive the Beacon distinction.

The AACN created the Beacon Award to recognize individual units within hospitals that distinguish themselves by improving patient care and exemplifying excellence in professional practice, patient care and patient outcomes. UF Health Jacksonville NICU is a Level III regional referral center, providing intensive care for infants from around Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.

“This is another tremendous honor for this organization and, more specifically, for our nurses, who form the backbone of this organization,” said Leon L. Haley Jr., M.D., MHSA, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville and dean of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “Our NICU is consistently ranked among the best not only in this community but also across the country. This achievement is well-deserved.”

The AACN said it “recognizes caregivers in stellar units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes. Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.”

Among the caregivers in UF Health Jacksonville’s NICU are board-certified UF faculty neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, transport specialists, occupational and speech therapists, dietitians and case managers.

“From the moment you step into our NICU, it’s obvious just how much our staff care about these tiny, vulnerable patients,” said Patrice Jones, R.N., M.S.N., vice president and chief nursing officer for UF Health Jacksonville. “They deserve this honor for their dedication and skills, and we are incredibly proud.”