Ocala Health has earned three 2018 Unit of Distinction Awards in an annual program that recognizes and rewards exemplary nursing units at HCA Healthcare affiliate facilities. These units include the Intensive Care Unit at West Marion Community Hospital, the Ortho/Med-Surg Unit at West Marion Community Hospital, and the Progressive Care Unit at Ocala Regional Medical Center.

The "Unit of Distinction" designation is achieved through measurable, exemplary performance in the strategic areas of advocacy and leadership, consistency in nursing practice and operations, and leveraging scale to drive performance. During 2018, approximately 1,200 HCA Healthcare nursing units participated in the program. Using specific criteria, nursing units are evaluated and scored based on performance. Recipients of the 2018 Unit of Distinction honor are considered to be in the top 5 percent of all HCA Healthcare medical-surgical, critical care, emergency services and surgical services nursing units. In addition to the UOD recipients, 67 additional units achieved scores ranking them within the Top 6 percent to 10 percent of all HCA Healthcare units, earning each an "Honorable Mention" designation.

An important component of the program is HCA Healthcare's sponsorship of nurses to obtain national certification through programs accredited by the American Board of Nursing Specialties. This year, more than 2,600 HCA Healthcare-affiliated nurses expanded their professional knowledge and advanced their individual and professional skills to earn certification.

"The Unit of Distinction Award recognizes and celebrates excellence in nursing and acknowledges that it takes a high-performing team of nurses demonstrating a high level of commitment to achieve results like these," said Jane D. Englebright, PhD, RN, CENP, FAAN, HCA Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President.

With more than 1,800 sites of care, HCA Healthcare-affiliated nurses have abundant opportunity to choose work across a wide spectrum of clinical and non-clinical settings. Launched in 2015, the Unit of Distinction program is a driving component of HCA Healthcare's multi-year nursing strategic plan.