Swedish Ballard Receives Pathway to Excellence Designation

First hospital in Washington state to earn this honor

We are excited to announce that Swedish Ballard has received the Pathway to Excellence® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), making it the first hospital in Washington state to earn this honor.

The Pathway to Excellence® program recognizes health care and long-term care organizations for positive practice environments where nurses excel. To qualify, organizations must meet 12 Pathway Practice Standards essential to an ideal nursing practice environment.

“This honor is certainly a career highlight and reaffirms the belief I had when I first joined the nursing team at Ballard,” said Jennifer Graves, Chief Executive and Nurse Executive for Swedish Ballard. “I knew I was entering a place with incredible potential and felt that the caregivers here were firmly rooted in their commitment to each other, their patients and to the profession of nursing. I am incredibly proud of the more than 200 RNs at Swedish Ballard who continue to set their sights on creating an unrivaled place to work and seek care.”

Pathway-designated organizations are recognized for respecting nursing contributions, supporting professional development and nurturing optimal practice environments, all values that align with the Swedish Nursing Strategic Plan and the system’s mission, vision and values.

The rigorous application process requires several years of preparation and involves nurses at all levels. Each organization evaluated must participate in a formal review process, including a self-assessment by nursing staff and documentation of how the organization fulfills the 12 Pathway Practice Standards and more than 90 mandatory elements of performance. Swedish Ballard nurses submitted personal testimonials detailing their experiences and how nursing excellence is demonstrated at their hospital.

Nursing staff also confirm the integration of Pathway Practice Standards via a confidential survey administered by ANCC. Approximately 85 percent of Swedish Ballard nurses participated in this survey, which demonstrated overwhelmingly positive results.

More details on the Pathway to Excellence® program are available on the following website.