MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach attained Magnet recognition for the second time, reinforcing their continued dedication to the highest quality of nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national recognition a health care organization can achieve for professional nursing practice excellence and quality patient care.
Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s continue to proudly belong to the global community of Magnet-recognized organizations. Just 33 California health care organizations have achieved Magnet recognition.
“Magnet recognition is a tremendous honor and reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to this community,” says Judy Fix, RN, chief nursing officer, Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s. “To earn Magnet recognition once was a great accomplishment and an incredible source of pride for our nurses. Our repeated achievement underscores the foundation of excellence that drives our entire staff to strive harder each day to meet the health care needs of the people we serve.”
Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing distinction and is a factor when the public judges health care organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of patient care.
The Magnet Model© provides a framework for nursing practice, research and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing superiority.
The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.
To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition.
Health care organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet Recognition Program® concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. An organization reapplying for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members sustained and improved Magnet Recognition Program® concepts, performance and quality over the four-year period.
“We’re a better organization today because of the Magnet recognition we first achieved four years ago,” says John Bishop, CEO, Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s. “Magnet recognition raises the bar for patient care and inspires every member of our team to achieve excellence every day.”