The Queen’s Medical Center is proud to announce that Rose Hata, DNP, MBA, RN, APRN, CCNS, NEA-BC, FACHE, Director of the Queen Emma Nursing Institute, has been named a 2026 Circle of Excellence award recipient by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), one of the highest honors in acute and critical care nursing.
Hata is the only nurse from Hawaiʻi selected for the 2026 cohort, which honors 18 nurses across the country and internationally who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to patient- and family-centered care.
Presented annually, AACN’s Circle of Excellence award recognizes nurses who are transforming health care through measurable results: advancing clinical practice, improving patient outcomes, strengthening work environments, and addressing complex challenges such as staffing shortages and quality improvement.
“Rose embodies the very best of nursing: visionary leadership, deep compassion and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” said Linda Puu, MSN, RN, The Queen’s Health Systems Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive. “Her work continues to elevate nursing practice not only at Queen’s, but across Hawaiʻi.”
As director of the Queen Emma Nursing Institute, Hata plays a pivotal role in advancing nursing education, professional development and evidence-based practice. Her leadership supports a strong, resilient nursing workforce while ensuring high quality care for patients and families statewide. She has also led The Queen’s Medical Center through two successful Magnet® redesignations in 2019 and 2024.
The Queen’s Medical Center is the first and only hospital in Hawaiʻi to achieve Magnet® recognition, the highest honor for quality and nursing excellence in the United States.
Hata joins a distinguished group of past AACN Circle of Excellence recipients from The Queen’s Health Systems, reflecting a longstanding commitment to nursing excellence across the state.
Hata and her fellow honorees will be formally recognized during AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) in San Diego, May 17-20.
AACN, the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, represents more than 134,000 members dedicated to advancing excellence in acute and critical care. Learn more at www.aacn.org.
