Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital designated a Pathway to Excellence® organization by the American Nurses Credentialing Center

On December 15, Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital received Pathway to Excellence^®designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Pathway is a global credential that highlights a hospital’s commitment to creating a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued.

The program recognizes:

• Quality patient care
• Nursing excellence
• Investment in professional development
• A culture that attracts and retains top nursing talent

“We are proud of our nurses and our journey over the past few years to demonstrate the Pathway standards,” said Linda Walton, DNP, RN, CENP, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital.

The ANCC Pathway to Excellence framework requires six standards that are essential elements in developing a positive practice environment for nursing:

• Shared Decision-Making creates opportunities for direct care nurses to network, collaborate, share ideas, and be involved in decision-making.
• Leadership supports a shared governance environment by ensuring that leaders are accessible and that they facilitate collaborative decision-making. This standard also emphasizes leadership development, orientation, retention, accountability, and succession planning.
• Safety prioritizes both patient and nurse safety, and fosters a respectful workplace culture free of incivility, bullying, and violence.
• Quality is central to an organization's mission, vision, goals, and values, and is based on person- and family-centered care, evidence-based care, continuous improvement, and improving population health.
• Well-Being promotes a workplace culture of recognition for the contribution of nurses and the healthcare provider team. Additionally, this standard provides staff with support and resources to promote their physical and mental health.
• Professional Development ensures that nurses are competent to provide care and provides them with mentoring, support, and opportunities for lifelong learning.

According to Dr. Walton, Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital “will continue to deliver on our Pathway promise to create a healthy work environment where nurses excel and feel empowered as an integral part of the team. Our organization’s investment in our nursing leadership, policies, and safety means better quality care from our nurses and better outcomes for our patients.”

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), and it develops and administers the Pathway to Excellence Program.

The process is comprehensive. Once the organization has undergone a successful Pathway standards document review, its nurses will complete an independent and confidential Pathway survey to validate that it has created a culture that fosters collaboration and empowerment. Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital began the application process in 2024.