Parkland Health has achieved Pathway to Excellence redesignation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. The Pathway to Excellence designation identifies the elements of inter-professional work environments where nurses can flourish and feel empowered. It’s the second time Parkland has achieved this accomplishment. The system first achieved this designation in 2018.
The redesignation substantiates nursing job satisfaction at Parkland and identifies it as one of the best places to work. In addition, organizations that are Pathway designated ultimately achieve better patient, staff and organizational outcomes, according to the ANCC.
“This redesignation is not easy to attain for a complex system like ours and it speaks to the excellence of nursing practice at Parkland,” said Donna Richardson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Parkland’s Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive. “We are extremely proud to receive this redesignation. It further demonstrates that Parkland is committed to not only providing high-quality, safe and compassionate care for all of our patients, but to do so in an environment where nurses are valued for their skill and expertise.”
The long road to gaining designation includes several months of work, examples and narratives about nurses’ demonstration of excellent care and the ways they feel supported by leadership. Nurses must then take a survey in which the majority must agree or strongly agree with the conclusion of the submission. Pathway to Excellence standards are strongly related to improved nurse satisfaction, staff and leadership retention, better inter-personal teamwork, high-quality nursing practice and business growth. All Parkland nurses were invited to take the Pathway to Excellence redesignation survey between Nov. 19 and Dec. 21, 2022. More than 2,900 nurses – over 75% – who responded to the survey strongly agreed or agreed that Parkland meets the requirements for all 28 survey items.
When it first received the Pathway to Excellence designation in 2018, it was the first for a public, safety-net system like Parkland, which provides correctional healthcare as part of its services, according to the ANCC. The designation also includes Parkland’s network of Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) health centers and its Homeless Outreach Medical Services (HOMES) program, which delivers essential medical, behavioral health and dental services to homeless children and adults throughout Dallas County.
The Pathway to Excellence designation is granted-based on the confirmed presence of the six Pathway to Excellence practice standards including:
- Shared decision-making
- Leadership
- Safety
- Quality
- Well-being
- Professional development
Richardson noted that the recognition speaks to Parkland’s commitment to creating “an environment where nurses excel and feel valued as integral members of inter-professional healthcare teams.”
If you’d like to join Parkland’s nursing team, please visit www.parklandcareers.com.
About ANCC
The American Nurses Credentialing Center, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, provides individuals and organizations throughout the nursing profession with the resources they need to achieve practice excellence. ANCC’s internationally renowned credentialing programs certify nurses in specialty practice areas; recognize healthcare organizations for promoting safe, positive work environments through the Pathway to Excellence and Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care programs; and accredit providers of continuing nursing education. In addition, ANCC provides leading-edge information and education services and products to support its core credentialing programs. To learn more, visit www.nursecredentialing.org
