Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) has again attained Magnet recognition, a testament to its ongoing commitment to nursing excellence and high-quality patient care.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes healthcare organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for a professional nursing practice.
Receiving Magnet recognition for the fourth time marks a significant achievement for CHOC as it continues to proudly belong to the global community of Magnet-recognized organizations. CHOC is one of about 590 hospitals nationwide and 55 in California to have achieved Magnet recognition.
“To attain Magnet recognition for the fourth time is an honor and further evidence of CHOC’s commitment to delivering the highest level of pediatric care to our patients,” said Melanie Patterson, CHOC’s vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer. “A foundation of excellence drives each and every CHOC team member and our repeated achievement of Magnet recognition illustrates that commitment. I am so proud to work alongside a team that pursues excellence each and every day.”
Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to healthcare organizations and their communities, such as:
- higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help, and receipt of discharge information;
- lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates;
- higher job satisfaction among nurses; and
- lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions.
Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence 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 inpatient care.
The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across several components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence.
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.
Healthcare organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet 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 concepts, performance and quality over the four-year period since the organization received its most recent recognition.
