The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program is considered the gold standard across the healthcare sector for nursing excellence.1 ChristianaCare in Newark, Del., achieved its first Magnet designation in 2010, was re-designated in 2015 and 2020 and is now applying for re-designation once again.
During a Becker's Hospital Review podcast sponsored by NRC Health, experts from ChristianaCare and NRC Health discussed Magnet-focused innovation and its importance to both employee satisfaction and the patient experience. Podcast participants were:
- Tabassum Salam, MD, chief learning officer and vice president of patient experience, ChristianaCare
- Julie MoDavis, director, customer experience reporting and insight, ChristianaCare
- Billy Kuehn, customer liaison director of process and training, NRC Health
Five key takeaways were:
- Magnet designation is a rigorous process requiring widespread organizational participation. Hospitals and health systems must pass a lengthy process that begins with an application, followed by written documentation demonstrating excellence across "five pillars of magnetism."2 If scores from the written documentation fall into the range of excellence, an onsite visit is scheduled to thoroughly assess the organization. "Designation only lasts four years and fewer than 600 of the more than 6,000 U.S. healthcare organizations have received Magnet designation," Mr. Kuehn said. "This shows how exclusive this program is."
- ChristianaCare uses Magnet designation to focus caregivers on patient outcomes. "Magnet designation is championed and led by our nursing department, but it takes a high level of commitment from everyone in the organization," Dr. Salam said. "It requires rigorous self-review, self-reflection and improvement. It serves as a shared focal point for all of us." Participating in the Magnet process anchors everyone's efforts around patient outcomes.
- Everyone at ChristianaCare participates in improving the patient experience. The organization uses correlation reports to identify which metrics have the greatest impact on the overall patient experience. "One of those metrics relates to patients' perception of teamwork," Ms. MoDavis said. "We've worked diligently to create standardized materials that show all disciplines how they can contribute to this work."
- ChristianaCare ensures that caregivers hear positive patient feedback. The customer experience reporting and insight team painstakingly find all of the words of appreciation documented in patient experience surveys. "Our team at NRC Health enables many of the tools which make it efficient for us to do this work," Dr. Salam said. "Every single word of appreciation is precious, and we take a lot of effort to bring those words to each caregiver." Sharing compliments from patient feedback data and celebrating top performers go a long way toward improving employee morale. "It's easy to get lost in negative feedback. We all need to remind one another when we are doing well and providing excellent care," Mr. Kuehn said.
- Magnet hospitals experience higher levels of employee satisfaction. A study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration found that registered nurses who work in a Magnet-designated hospital are 18 percent less likely to be dissatisfied with their job compared to peers at non-Magnet institutions.3 "It gives nurses and other staff members pride in their work because they see how much the hospital is investing in them," Mr. Kuehn said. "If you have Magnet designation, your organization will act as a magnet — attracting and retaining the most qualified nurses. That extends to the rest of the staff, including providers and support staff."
"Embrace the spirit of continuous improvement that's at the core of the Magnet Recognition Program," Dr. Salem said when asked for advice related to Magnet designation. "The value is in the collective self-reflection and activating the whole team to work on enhancing all aspects of patient care. Centering our focus on improving patient outcomes is the universal goal. Everyone on the care team can get behind that."