ANCC Wellbeing Excellence Credential highlights the hospital’s data-driven, employee designed approach to supporting health care workers’ wellbeing and resilience
Vermont Business Magazine Wide-ranging, employee-driven wellbeing initiatives at University of Vermont Health – UVM Medical Center have earned the academic medical national recognition from the country’s leading nursing certification and accreditation organization and a place among an elite group of hospitals across the globe.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Well-being Excellence Credential, Silver Level Designation is a global recognition that highlights an organization-wide approach to supporting the health, resilience, and professional fulfillment of health care workers. The credential, which is held by just 10 hospitals worldwide, highlights UVM Medical Center’s employee-driven approach to health care worker wellbeing, resilience, and professional development.
“At UVM Medical Center, wellbeing is a shared responsibility,” said Peg Gagne, MSN, RN, CENP, chief nursing officer of UVM Medical Center. “Groups across our hospital shape how we support each other and our patients: Nurses, physicians, advanced practice professionals and non-clinical teams focused on everything from workplace safety and community health to education and professional development. As our organization goes through a time of significant change, how we support our teams matters more than ever.”
The hospital’s unique approach to fostering resilience, supporting professional development and promoting wellbeing is data-driven and developed directly by employees. Feedback through real-time suggestion systems, formal professional governance groups and wellness ambassador networks help employees directly influence which resources and programs are offered and how they evolve over time.
Gagne said the hospital’s department of Culture, Experience and Community Health (CECH) plays a central role in the process. The group develops and supports programs to foster belonging, psychological safety, promote health equity and create a positive employee experience by addressing systemic barriers to wellbeing. Geera Deemers, director of CECH, said those efforts are built on “employee listening, shared governance, community building and cross functional-partnerships.”
“CECH helps ensure workforce wellbeing strategies are inclusive, responsive and aligned with the organization’s commitment to patient and family-centered care,” she said. “This work strengthens the medical center’s ability to ensure employees can thrive professionally and personally – ultimately advancing our mission of fostering healthier communities.”
That model has fostered innovations like an employee-designed wellness space at the hospital, which was developed through interdisciplinary collaboration and supported through grand funding. Staff surveys showed significant improvements in employee wellbeing, including increased relaxation and reduced stress and anxiety.
Employees have access to a wide range of support and resources spearheaded by the health system’s Wellness Department, including confidential mental health counseling; stress, sleep and mindfulness programs; peer support resources during and after difficult events; workplace violence prevention and de-escalation training; a variety of wellbeing programs and resources; fitness resources; employee resource groups and more.
“This recognition reflects work across our organization that builds on the strengths of our teams and strives to better support each other in our work each day,” said Cynthia Peterson, PhD, RN, NE-BC, a nurse scientist and nursing program manager for research and evidence-based practice at UVM Medical Center. “It reflects a shared commitment to listening to employees, learning from their experiences and continuously improving how we support wellbeing across the medical center. When we invest in the wellbeing of health care workers, we strengthen our ability to care for our patients and communities.”
Peterson led a hospital-wide process to gather data, capture feedback and drive continuous improvement and integration for wellbeing initiatives. In addition to programs supporting frontline employees, the hospital has also worked to support leaders and managers with dedicated resilience programs, leadership development initiatives and access to specialized mental health and peer support resources.
The hospital also focused on fostering a culture of belonging and psychological safety via inclusion initiatives and evidence-based training programs that address bias and create supportive work environments.
“This recognition is not our destination. It reflects the culture we continue to build together,” said Gagne. “As the needs of our colleagues evolve, we will continue working together to build a culture where people feel supported, valued and able to do their best work every day.”
About University of Vermont Medical Center
University of Vermont Health – UVM Medical Center is a 499-bed tertiary care regional referral center and Level I Trauma Center, providing advanced, specialized care to more than 1 million residents across Vermont and northern New York. Home to University of Vermont Cancer Center and University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, we serve as both a high-acuity referral hospital and a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. As part of a rural academic health system, we are driving innovation in rural health care delivery, education and research in close partnership with The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Vermont. Together, we are tackling health care’s toughest challenges while strengthening our communities — addressing critical needs that impact access, affordability and health outcomes.
About University of Vermont Health
University of Vermont Health is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org
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