Pathway to Excellence Designation

Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center is proud to be the first organization in Maine to achieve the Pathway to Excellence® Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This recognition highlights our commitment to creating a positive practice environment for nurses and ensuring the highest quality care for our patients.

What is the Pathway to Excellence

As a Pathway-designated organization, our nurses make meaningful contributions to patient care and thrive as valuable members of the care team. This designation illustrates our commitment to fostering a positive practice environment, resulting in better quality care, safety, and improved patient outcomes.

Our nurses embody the Pathway Standards in all they do:

1. Shared decision-making:  The organization has an established shared governance structure as the foundation for involving direct care nurses in decision-making.
2. Leadership: Leadership encourages collaboration among staff and supports a shared governance environment.
3. Safety: The organization protects the safety and well-being of nurses, staff, and patients through safety policies and processes.
4. Quality: Organization-wide quality initiatives are evidence-based, focused on improving patient outcomes, developed through interprofessional collaboration, and implemented based on internal and external benchmarking.
5. Well-being: Staff have the opportunity to develop a balance between work and personal life. Achievements for community service, patient advocacy, and contributions to improving population health are encouraged, supported, and recognized by the organization.
6. Professional development: The organization recognizes the importance of staff orientation, collaboration, and professional development in the delivery of safe and effective patient care.

Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center  will continue to deliver on our commitment to nurture a healthy work environment where nurses excel and feel empowered to provide safe, high-quality patient care.
 
“This designation is a reflection of the remarkable nursing staff at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center and highlights our high standard of care, positive practice environment, and the culture we have cultivated together,” says Deb Sanford, MBA, MSN, RN, vice president, Nursing and Patient Care Services. “It’s a shining example of what we can achieve when we work together, driven by a shared vision.”