By Melissa Bates, DNP, RN, CDCES; Christine Pabico, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FAAN; Maricon Dans, MSN, RN, NE-BC; and Leigh Hume, MN, RN, NE-BC
The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Pathway to Excellence® (Pathway) Framework serves as an evidence-based blueprint for establishing positive practice environments that foster nursing excellence. This framework is designed to recognize and empower nurses, enhance job satisfaction, improve employee engagement, safeguard clinician well-being, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Especially with the current healthcare challenges and the global pandemic’s emotional toll on nurses, the criticality of creating supportive practice environments and the relevance of the Pathway Framework have been amplified. Organizations that “lived Pathway” and continued to use the framework—practicing shared decision-making, recognizing nurses’ contribution, and prioritizing their well-being— thrived and sustained optimum quality of patient care when others struggled.