AACN's Healthy Work Environment Standards Implemented at Duke University Hospital's CTICU

According to a May 6 press release from AACN, Duke University Hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU) significantly improved its work environment and nurse satisfaction over six years by implementing the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ (AACN) Healthy Work Environment (HWE) standards.

Using AACN’s evidence-based framework and assessment tool, the 32-bed unit conducted regular staff surveys and introduced targeted interventions, such as structured handoffs and leadership development. “The pandemic did affect our HWE scores and turnover rates, but the unit quickly restabilized and now reports the highest HWE scores it has ever received,” said CTICU nurse manager and lead study author Philip Parker, BSN, RN, CNML.

The study, published in the American Journal of Critical Care, found improvements across all six HWE standards and a steady rise in overall scores from 2017 to 2023. Full results are available at www.ajcconline.org.