CHOC Emergency Department Honored for Exceptional Practice and Innovative Performance

The Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department at CHOC Hospital has once again been named a recipient of the Emergency Nurses Association’s (ENA) Lantern Award.

The ENA bestows the Lantern Award on emergency departments that exemplify exceptional practice and innovative performance in the core areas of nursing leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research.

CHOC is one of only eight emergency departments in California - and 53 worldwide - to be honored with the 2023 award.

“We are gratified to see our commitment to incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into pediatric emergency care recognized by the Emergency Nurses Association,” said Melanie Patterson, DNP, MHA, RN, CHOC’s chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services. “This honor is further evidence of our high standards for quality, safety and a healthy work environment.”

The Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department at CHOC is a 22,000-square-foot, full-service emergency department designed to meet the unique needs of children. It features 35 treatment rooms, including 14 rapid evaluation and discharge exam rooms, and three triage suites.

The ENA Lantern Award honors the late Florence Nightingale, who is credited with changing nursing from an untrained job to a skilled, science-based profession. She is referred to as the “Lady of the Lamp” for her actions during the Crimean War when she worked deep into the night, bringing a lantern with her as she tended to wounded soldiers as they slept.

CHOC, a pediatric healthcare system based in Orange County, is committed to being a leading destination for children’s health by providing exceptional and innovative care. CHOC’s growing community includes two state-of-the-art hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo and a regional network of primary and specialty care clinics serving children and families in four counties.

CHOC offers several clinical programs of excellence providing the highest levels of care for the most serious pediatric illnesses and injuries, physical and mental. Their research and innovation institutes are focused on translating real patient needs into realworld treatments so every child can live the healthiest and happiest life possible.

CHOC’s mission is straightforward: to nurture, advance, and protect the health and well-being of children. That’s why at CHOC Hospital in Orange and CHOC at Mission Hospital, the organization is dedicated to working cooperatively - assisting and enriching existing services as well as developing programs to benefit the families of Orange County.

Over two million children across four counties count on CHOC when they need help most - regardless of their family’s ability to pay.