UNION, NJ — Overlook Medical Center Emergency Services, Union Campus, part of Atlantic Health System, has again received the prestigious Emergency Nurses Association’s 2020 Lantern Award for demonstrating exceptional practice and innovative performance in nursing leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research.
The Union emergency department, a satellite of Summit-based Overlook Medical Center, has received the award for the 2020-2023 cycle. This is the fourth consecutive time Overlook’s Union ED has won the award, making Union one of only two emergency departments in the nation to receive the award every cycle since its inception in 2011.
“The mission of the Union ED has been to be the premier source of high-quality, accessible care that Union and surrounding communities could rely on,” said MaryPat Sullivan, chief nursing officer for Overlook Medical Center. “It is truly gratifying to have our accomplishments recognized consecutively for more than a decade.”
The Lantern Award showcases an emergency department’s accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care. The application process includes sharing stories that highlight a commitment to care of patients, as well as the well-being of nursing staff. The award serves as a visible symbol of the Emergency Nurses Association’s commitment to quality, safety and a healthy work environment.
The Union ED was one of 25 award winners announced by ENA, which this year, for the first time, included two international emergency departments.
“This is truly a historic year, with the first two international emergency departments earning this uniquely special award,” ENA President Mike Hastings said. “With ENA continuing to expand its worldwide reach, this is one of many big steps for emergency nurses and the association.”
The Union ED is the anchor for Overlook’s Union Campus, a multispecialty medical complex developed by Atlantic Health System in the facility once known as Union Hospital. When that hospital’s previous owner closed the facility in 2007, Overlook took over operation of the emergency department, operating it as a satellite of its emergency services.
The emergency department flourished, with 38,444 visits last year, far exceeding the number of patients treated when it was a part of a full-service hospital, even at its peak. The 24-bed full-service emergency department provides 24/7, nationally recognized care, including emergency and advanced cardiovascular care, including the administration of thrombolytic options, comprehensive stroke care using telemedicine and robotic services, on-site laboratory services, on-site radiology services including computed tomography and ultrasound, and referrals to community outreach.
“The ENA Lantern Award is named in honor of Florence Nightingale, who worked to improve and change nursing in the 19th century. It’s particularly exciting for these 25 emergency departments to receive this award during her 200th anniversary,” Hastings said. “Each of these emergency department’s staff should be proud of the power they hold. They’ve made such positive impacts on the profession and the lives of their patients.”