Nursing ExCEL is a national quality-improvement award that honors post-acute care facilities demonstrating outstanding nursing excellence. The program guides facilities through a systematic self-assessment and improvement process—supported by AAPACE’s expert team—to strengthen evidence-based practices, elevate care standards, and achieve lasting results.

ACE is a voluntary national award program recognizing post-acute care facilities that place ethics at the heart of care delivery. Using the AAPACE Standards of Ethics as a roadmap, facilities evaluate and enhance their ethical practices. Those that show sustained, evidence-based commitment to high-level ethical standards earn the distinguished ACE designation, signifying safe, effective, and ethically grounded care.

AQIP is a national recognition program that celebrates post-acute care facilities committed to continuous quality improvement. Through a structured, evidence-driven pathway, AQIP helps organizations assess current performance, identify opportunities for growth, and implement measurable initiatives that raise clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and resident satisfaction—advancing excellence across every level of care.