What is Magnet?
The Magnet Recognition program was established in 1993, and the first hospital was awarded Magnet status in 1994 by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). It is the highest level of recognition the ANCC affords to organized nursing services in the national and international health care communities. More...
Attracting and Retaining Professional Nurses
The hospital nursing shortage poses a serious threat to the health and welfare of this nation. Since sufficient numbers of professional nurses are essential if hospitalized patients and their families are to receive quality care, and since nurses provide 95 percent of the care that patients receive while hospitalized (AHA), these essential care needs will not be met unless hospitals can solve their own nursing shortages by helping to attract and retain competent and experienced nurses. Studies show that nurses are attracted to Magnet hospitals because of a desire to work at a health care facility committed to excellence in nursing.
Purpose of Magnet Designation
- To provide a framework for recognizing excellence in nursing
- To demonstrate a management philosophy
- To highlight practices of nursing services
- To demonstrate adherence to high standards of care
- To show strength of leadership of the Chief Nursing Officer
- To award hospitals for cultural and ethnic diversity
Benefits of Magnet Hospital Status
- Important recognition of nurses’ value - magnet designation recognizes the quality of your nursing program and demonstrates how important nurses are to the success of the entire organization.
- Major factor in nursing recruitment and retention - research shows Magnet facilities consistently out-perform their peers in recruiting and retaining nurses. These "nurse friendly" organizations benefit from reduced costs associated with low turnover.
- A competitive marketing advantage - magnet designation enhances promotional campaigns by providing a competitive edge in marketing and recruitment advertising.
- Enhanced nursing care -magnet designation positively impacts nursing care through significant relationships between nursing and patient outcomes, including mortality and patient satisfaction.
- Increased staff morale - magnet designation creates enthusiasm and boosts morale by providing an environment that facilitates autonomy in professional practice, and promotes job satisfaction.
- Attracts high quality physicians and other specialists - achieving this status creates a positive "halo" effect beyond the nursing services department that permeates the entire health care team.
- Creates a "magnet culture" - core values such as empowerment, pride, mentoring, nurturing, respect, integrity, and teamwork create a "Magnet Culture" that provides a dynamic and positive environment for professional nurses.
- Reinforces collaborative relationships - magnet nurses foster respect and caring for patients and staff, actively bringing out the best in people.
- Improves patient quality outcomes - magnet designation raises the bar for employees by establishing necessary standards. Recognition increases self-esteem and contributes to the overall quality of care.
What are the Essential Characteristics of a Magnet Hospital?
Magnet Surveys done since 2001 on nurses who continue to work in Magnet Designated Hospitals, reveal eight essential characteristics of Magnet hospitals "essential" in giving quality patient care, and providing nurse satisfaction.
These Eight Essentials in order of their ranking by nurses working in Magnet Hospitals are:
- Working with other nurses who are clinically competent
- Good RN-MD relationships and communication
- Nurse autonomy and accountability
- Supportive nurse manage, supervisor
- Control over nursing practice and practice environment
- Support for education (in-service, continuing education, certification)
- Adequate nurse staffing
- Concern for the patient is paramount
The Fourteen Forces of Magnetism
- Quality nursing leadership
- Decentralized organizational structure
- Participative management style
- Competitive personnel policies and programs
- Professional models of care
- High quality of care
- Constructive quality improvement
- Adequate consultation and resources
- Autonomy
- Strong community outreach
- Nurses as teachers
- Positive image of nursing
- Respectful interdisciplinary relationships
- Professional development
