Business & Merchant

Last Updated on Wednesday, 31 January 2024 15:31

AHN Canonsburg Becomes the First Hospital in Western Pennsylvania to Earn Prestigious Designation

Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Canonsburg Hospital is pleased to announce that it has joined a premier group of organizations that have received the Pathway to Excellence® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Canonsburg Hospital is the first hospital in western Pennsylvania to achieve this prestigious designation, which highlights an unparalleled commitment to its nursing workforce.

The Pathway designation is a global credential that highlights AHN Canonsburg’s commitment to creating a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued and signifies that nurses at the hospital have an integral voice in health care policy and practice. There are currently 211 Pathway hospitals around the world.

“We’re beyond proud of the exceptional care our nurses deliver every day at AHN Canonsburg,” said Joy M. Peters, the hospital’s chief nursing officer. “Today’s announcement affirms that they continue to operate at the highest level, and to do so we must continue to create an environment that supports their needs, protects their safety and allows their voice to be heard.”

As part of the ANCC evaluation process, AHN Canonsburg nursing staff participated in a confidential survey, answering questions about the hospital’s level of quality, safety, professional development and well-being. Nearly 85 percent of the AHN Canonsburg nursing team completed the survey with almost all selecting “agree” or “strongly agree” across all categories.

“The participation and overwhelmingly positive results reflect our nurse engagement and commitment to excellence in serving the community they care so much about,” said Alissa Hutchins, Director of Professional Practice and Education and Pathway Program Director for AHN Canonsburg.

Pathway nurses are also known to be highly engaged, which in turn results in higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, improved safety and better patient outcomes.

“It’s critical that we continue to focus on the empowerment and well-being of our nursing colleagues. By investing in their workplace and their career trajectories, we ultimately invest in the health and well-being of all the communities we serve,” said Jamie Coleman-Price, director of nursing at AHN Canonsburg. “As a Pathway organization, we now join a group of health care facilities that set a national benchmark for patient care and nursing safety.”

Today’s award comes a month after Highmark Health and AHN announced that they had agreed to invest in a new, full-service Canonsburg hospital and adjacent medical office building, which will replace the existing AHN Canonsburg facility, on the same campus. Construction is expected to begin in late 2024.