Atrium Health Cabarrus Achieves Prestigious “Pathway to Excellence” Designation
Hospital is one of just six in North Carolina recognized by the American Nurses Association Program
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 25, 2024 – Atrium Health Cabarrus has received the distinguished and unique “Pathway to Excellence” program designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. Pathway to Excellence is the premier designation for healthy work environments and recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate a commitment to establishing the foundation of a healthy workplace for nurses.
“Providing high quality care to our patients and their families starts with taking care of our teammates,” said Angela Reid, chief nursing officer at Atrium Health Cabarrus. “We are privileged and excited to be leading teams that are committed to creating a positive place to be a nurse. At Atrium Health Cabarrus, we are committed to supporting our nurses at all levels of their practice – from the inside out. That means providing professional development opportunities, a safe work environment and support for their well-being. We know this directly impacts the experience and care that our patients receive.”
To achieve the Pathway to Excellence designation, a hospital must meet the ANCC’s six overarching standards that form the framework of a healthy work environment: shared decision-making, leadership, safety, quality, well-being and professional development. The assessment period includes a review of documentation, teammate narratives and comprehensive surveys completed by nearly every nurse at the hospital.
“This journey has been years in the making after our team made a decision collectively to thrive post-pandemic,” said Asha Rodriguez, vice president and facility executive at Atrium Health Cabarrus. “We chose to pursue Pathway to Excellence designation specifically because its standard for nurse well-being is incredibly high – and so is ours. We are choosing to prioritize the well-being of our teams and we had an overwhelming 88% of nurses who received the survey from ANCC respond to it with overwhelming positivity – far exceeding the required threshold for designation. Our teams have indeed validated our positive practice environment and we are so very proud of them.
“We’ll have an extra reason to celebrate Nurse’s Week next month, given the significance of this honor,” she added.
Atrium Health Cabarrus is one of six Pathway to Excellence designated hospitals in North Carolina. It is the only one in the Charlotte metro area and one of just 218 in the nation.
Atrium Health Navicent Peach, located in Byron, Georgia, received Pathway to Excellence designation in March 2024, and is one of just eight Pathway to Excellence designated hospitals in Georgia. Several other facilities within Charlotte-based Advocate Health – of which Atrium Health is a part – have also submitted applications and are at varying stages of earning the designation.
Advocate Health currently has 12 Magnet-designated hospitals, which is a recognition also given by ANCC. Magnet designation recognizes a hospital’s commitment to excellence in nursing leadership, professional development, community impact, professional practice, quality patient care and innovation. In the Charlotte area, that includes Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, including its outpatient clinics, Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute and Atrium Health Mercy.