KU Leuven Inaugurates ANCC International Endowed Chair for Organizational Excellence in Healthcare
New academic chair will fund long-term research into how healthcare work environments affect nurses, organizations and patient outcomes
LEUVEN, Belgium — The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) today celebrated the formal inauguration of the ANCC International Endowed Chair for Organizational Excellence in Healthcare at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), an academic chair established with ANCC's support. The chair will fund independent research into what makes healthcare organizations strong places to work and deliver care, and is initially funded for four years.
Photo credit: KU Leuven; Pictured (L-R): Rebecca Graystone, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, Senior Vice President, Accreditation and Organizational Credentialing, Prof. Dr. Raf Van Gestel and Em. Prof. Dr. Walter Sermeus
Prof. Dr. Raf Van Gestel and Em. Prof. Dr. Walter Sermeus of the Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy will hold the chair together. Their research will examine how career development, workforce well-being, innovation and patient outcomes connect, and how those connections differ across European healthcare settings.
"Nursing excellence is built through the conditions that help nurses and organizations thrive," said Brad Goettl, DNP, DHA, RN, FAAN, FACHE, chief nursing officer of the American Nurses Enterprise. "We're proud to support this research at one of Europe's leading universities. The questions it will explore matter in every country, but the answers have to be shaped by European researchers and healthcare leaders. This chair is one of ANCC’s long-term commitments to that work."
"By pooling the knowledge and experiences found within European hospitals, we aim to contribute to greater well-being for care providers, better care practices and stronger health policy," said Van Gestel and Sermeus.
The chair adds to an established body of KU Leuven research on hospital work environments and the well-being of healthcare professionals. Its findings will be shared openly with researchers, healthcare organizations and policymakers across Europe.
About American Nurses Credentialing Center
The American Nurses Credentialing Center partners with the world’s largest group of healthcare professionals to uphold the highest standards of nursing excellence. With a comprehensive suite of individual certifications and organizational accreditation programs designed to foster research, innovation, career growth, and leadership development, the credentialing center equips nurses to achieve safer, patient-centric outcomes both nationally and internationally. Committed to harnessing The Power of Nurses® to elevate care standards worldwide, the credentialing center continuously sets the benchmarks that support excellence in every facet of nursing practice.
About Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) is Europe's most innovative university (Reuters) and ranks 45th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. As Belgium's largest university, KU Leuven welcomes 65,000 students from over 140 countries. The University's more than 8,000 researchers are active in a comprehensive range of disciplines. KU Leuven is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and has a strong European and international orientation. University Hospitals Leuven, its network of research hospitals, provides high-quality healthcare and develops new therapeutic and diagnostic insights with an emphasis on translational research.