St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood, Grant and Covington have been designated Magnet status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for the third time. In 2006, St. Elizabeth became the first hospital in the Greater Cincinnati region to attain the coveted status as a Magnet-recognized organization, healthcare’s gold standard for nursing excellence. This third designation recognizes a continuum of excellence in nursing services and overall patient care, and St. Elizabeth is once again the first in the Greater Cincinnati region to achieve this status three consecutive times.
Becoming a Magnet recognized healthcare organization is the most sought-after status in nursing. Only 6.47 percent of all U.S. hospitals have achieved this recognition. Magnet status is the highest honor bestowed on nursing services.
The Magnet Recognition Program serves as a benchmark for consumers to measure the quality of nursing care they can expect to receive at a hospital. The program was developed by the ANCC to recognize organizations that provide exceptional care and support of nursing practice. The benefits to being a Magnet –recognized organization are numerous. National studies show that hospitals achieving Magnet status have lower patient mortality, fewer medical complications, and better patient care outcomes.
“We are deeply honored to once again be recognized as one of the top nursing programs in the country,” says Gary Blank, senior vice president and chief patient services officer/chief nursing officer at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “To earn Magnet status once is a tremendous accomplishment and a great source of pride for our nurses. To retain Magnet status for a third time underscores the commitment of our entire staff to continually strive harder to work together to meet the healthcare needs of the people we serve. Our nurses, physicians, leadership, associates, trustees and community supporters all pulled together to make this possible. Re-designation confirms what we have known for a long time—St. Elizabeth nurses are the best and that helps set us apart from other hospitals.”
The ANCC Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing philosophy and practice, adherence to national standards for improving patient care, leadership and sensitivity to cultural and ethnic diversity. Applying hospitals undergo a rigorous evaluation that includes extensive interviews and review of nursing services, clinical outcomes and patient care. Magnet hospitals must provide an annual status report on their progress and must undergo re-evaluation every four years to retain the designation. Magnet status provides the public with information to help determine where to seek the best care. For highly qualified nurses, Magnet recognition can be a guide to choosing an employer and nursing schools inform students about the advantages of working at a Magnet hospital.
“We are extremely proud to receive this third designation,” says Garren Colvin, president and CEO of St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “I congratulate all the associates at St. Elizabeth who are so dedicated to constantly improving the care they provide through their compassion and commitment to the people of this community. Ultimately, the patients benefit from this effort. The public should feel confident knowing that a three-time Magnet-recognized hospital is available in their community.”
For more information on Magnet designation, go to the American Nurses Credentialing Center here.
From St. Elizabeth Healthcare