Reading Hospital Earns Emergency Nurses Association 2018 Lantern Award

Reading Hospital Recognized for Exceptional and Innovative Performance

Reading Hospital is one of only 19 emergency departments (ED) in the United States to have received the Emergency Nurses Association's 2018 Lantern Award for demonstrating exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. Reading Hospital Emergency Department ranks the 9th busiest single-site ED in the nation and busiest in Pennsylvania treating more than 135,000 patients annually.

The Lantern Award showcases Reading Hospital's ED and the achievement of excellent clinical quality and operational outcomes, innovative approaches to emergency care, strong professional practice and healthy work environment, and incorporation of evidence-based practice and research into nursing. This award is a visible symbol of the Reading Hospital Emergency Department's strong commitment to providing the highest quality of care for our community and leadership in nursing.

Reading Hospital Emergency Department developed several processes to continue to improve the patient experience. A "Nurse Greeter," an experienced triage Registered Nurse, was put in place to welcome and promptly triage patients at the point of entry. A staff driven best practice initiative of Immediate Bedding was also developed by the triage team to expedite patient movement to treatment rooms. The ED nurses enjoy a robust shared governance structure aimed at enhancing professional autonomy.

Members of Reading Hospital Nursing Leadership are available for interviews and to discuss additional processes developed to improve patient care in the Emergency Department at Reading Hospital.

For more information on the recipients and award, visit the Emergency Nurses Association.

Reading Hospital

Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.