Mercy’s nurses, maternity program earn distinctions

Mercy Medical Center drew accolades both nationally and locally for its nursing workforce and its work as a birthing hospital.

Baltimore magazine named Mercy nurses as among “the best of the best” in the region in its 11th annual “Excellence in Nursing Awards” survey that was included in its May 2025 issue.

The survey attracted hundreds of nominations covering numerous specialties over a nine-month period. A panel of several registered nurse advisors reviewed nominations.

Mercy nurses Marshelle Morlock (foot and ankle operating room); Jake Allam (Crane operating room); and Sara-Ann Ballard (Crane PACU) were recognized.

The magazine solicited nominations from peers, supervisors and patients of registered nurses, both in and out of hospitals, who represent the finest in their field.

“Mercy nurses have a strong reputation for their skill and expertise, leadership ability and for delivering compassionate care. They continue to excel, and are extremely deserving of this recognition,” said Dr. David Maine, president and CEO of Mercy Health Services, Mercy Medical Center, in a media release. 

Mercy also earned the coveted Magnet recognition. Magnet Designation is a national standard for nursing excellence awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and one of the most prestigious nursing awards in the United States.

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses named Mercy a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence recipient for its Critical Care Unit. 

Mercy, which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary, also was named by Newsweek magazine to its list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals. According to a national ranking by Newsweek based on data from Statista, Mercy is among the leading maternity care hospitals in the United States.

Newsweek’s 2025 list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals recognizes the leading 444 U.S. hospitals in the field of maternity that have met Statista’s standards for maternity care on evidence-based, nationally standardized metrics. 

Of the 444 hospitals recognized, Mercy Medical Center was among the 182 hospitals to receive a five-ribbon ranking — the highest rating category. Mercy is one of only seven hospitals in Maryland to be so ranked, and one of only five to achieve the five-ribbon rating for earning top quality, patient experience and reputation scores.

The recognition was based on a nationwide survey of medical professionals, key performance indicators, and patient survey results. 

“Mercy delivers more babies than any other hospital in Baltimore City. This recognition as one of the nation’s Best Maternity Hospitals serves as further evidence of Mercy’s leadership role in maternity services, providing top quality care to the community,” Maine said in a media release. 

Mercy was named a five-star recipient for vaginal deliveries for four years in a row (2018-21), as recognized by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems. 

Mercy is also home to the Centering Pregnancy program, which provides group prenatal care for women 12 to 36 weeks pregnant and then addresses individual needs with follow-up, one-on-one appointments from 37 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. Centering assists women receiving care at urban centers, which emphasize under-served, minority women at high risk for low birth weight and preterm delivery.

Mercy has also been awarded the BIRTH Equity Maryland Designation by the Maryland Patient Safety Center (MPSC), signifying completion of the BIRTH Equity Maryland: Breaking Inequality Reimagining Transformative Healthcare program. This statewide improvement project was designed to engage non-obstetric providers on the critical need for knowledge of pregnancy-related complications and awareness of disparities in negative maternal outcomes.

Founded in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a Catholic hospital located in downtown Baltimore City.

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