John C. Lincoln nurses received the highest national designation for excellence in patient care recently when John C. Lincoln Hospital – North Mountain became the Valley's first hospital to be granted “Magnet” status.
The American Nurses Association awarded the designation, which places the hospital among the nation’s top 3 percent of hospitals for nursing care.
Since Magnet status was first awarded a decade ago, it has become a coveted recognition earned only by the nation’s most respected hospitals, including Cedars-Sinai and Johns Hopkins.
“It can be difficult for consumers to judge the true quality and skills at a hospital, but they can be assured a Magnet hospital has received a ‘seal of approval’ from the harshest of critics – nursing experts with the absolute highest standards,” said Sue Hanauer, RN, the hospital’s vice president of Patient Care.
“The scrutiny is intense, but it’s part of what makes Magnet status so meaningful – especially to patients,“ she added.
The term “Magnet” became associated with the designation when it was discovered that hospitals meeting the Magnet standards had the ability to “attract” and retain the most qualified nurses, even as the quality of health care is endangered by a national nursing shortage.
All Magnet hospitals must earn the status by meeting 14 rigorous standards shown to improve patient care and outcomes. Falling short in even one standard disqualifies the hospital from earning the Magnet designation, regardless of its performance on the remaining standards.
“We’re thrilled to receive this designation that signifies excellence in all areas of nursing,” said Rhonda Forsyth, the hospital’s CEO.
“But what means most – not only to us but to those we serve – is that hospitals that achieve Magnet are known for doing the right things to achieve the best results for their patients,” she added.
It’s the quality of the nurse at the bedside that makes the biggest difference between hospitals that are deemed Magnet facilities and those that aren’t, according to nursing professionals.
“Anyone who’s been a patient knows that when you’re in the hospital, your nurse becomes one of the most important people in your life,” said Kathy Player, RN, president of the Arizona Nursing Association, an affiliate of the American Nurses Association. “Being in a Magnet facility means you have one of the best-trained nurses working in a supportive environment that fosters their ability to give excellent care.”
The fact that Magnet facilities are able to fill nursing vacancies offers patients a notable difference, according to Linda Lindberg, a cardiovascular critical care nurse at John C. Lincoln Hospital – North Mountain.
“A great benefit to patients is having enough staff available to provide the quality care for a patient’s medical and emotional needs. I always like to feel like I’ve had the time to pamper my patients,” Linda said.
A larger percentage of nurses at Magnet hospitals also undergo advanced training, which also directly benefits the patients who receive their expert care.
Sue cites the high number of her hospital nurses who have earned advanced credentials in their nursing specialty.
“You don’t have to move beyond your RN designation to be a hospital nurse, but in Magnet facilities it becomes the norm to seek extra training and certification in a nursing specialty such as cardiology,” she said. “You work with highly educated nurses, and you’re given the support to join their ranks.”
At John C. Lincoln, that extra support includes financial assistance, clinical educators, even on-site college nursing programs.
Earning Magnet status is not an easy process. The hospital assembled nearly 4,000 pages of required documentation for the process and then underwent an on-site survey after the documentation was reviewed.
“It takes a minimum of two years to demonstrate your performance on the 14 magnet standards,” explained Sue.
“Achieving Magnet is really the platinum standard that holds us up as a model for others to emulate,” she added.
In fact, the credentialing body for Magnet created the status for just that purpose: to hold up models that should be replicated by other hospitals throughout the country. Only 3 percent of hospitals nationwide have been deemed such model facilities. |