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Read MoreVINELAND, NJ (June 25) — It’s one of the highest levels of recognition a hospital or medical center can achieve. Inspira Health Network’s Medical Centers Elmer and Vineland and its Health Center Bridgeton have been re-designated as Magnet® facilities for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice by the American Nurses Credential Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®.
By receiving Magnet® re-designation, Inspira maintains its status within an elite group of hospitals across the nation. Inspira’s facilities were initially designated in 2008 and are currently three of only 24 hospitals in New Jersey that have been awarded Magnet® recognition. Additionally, Inspira is only the third health care system in the state to attain Magnet® status for multiple facilities, and the only health system in the state to have three facilities appraised by the ANCC during a single site visit and receive Magnet® recognition for all three.
“To be re-designated as a Magnet® organization is an incredible honor,” said Elizabeth Sheridan, R.N., M.A., chief operating officer of Inspira Medical Center Vineland and chief nurse executive. “The Magnet® journey has a way of raising the bar for everyone and in this new designation we have found that our outcomes for patient care are much more defined. As we move forward as an organization we will continue our culture of teamwork to support quality of care, shared decision-making, interdisciplinary working relationships and of course our commitment to putting patients first in everything we do.”
The Magnet Recognition Program® recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and adherence to national standards for the organization and delivery of nursing services. Applicants undergo a rigorous evaluation that includes extensive interviews and review of nursing services. Research shows there are clear benefits to hospitals that are awarded Magnet status and to the communities they serve:
- Health care consumers have more confidence in the overall quality of a hospital if it has achieved the level of excellence established by the Magnet Recognition Program®.
- Magnet® designated facilities consistently outperform other facilities in recruiting and retaining nurses resulting in increased stability in patient care and patient satisfaction.
- Because quality nursing is one of the most important factors in enlisting high caliber physicians and specialists, Magnet® status becomes an attractive force that extends to the entire facility.
The designation is the result of one full year of preparation, and many more years of a commitment to quality and excellence by Inspira’s staff. The Magnet® application submitted by each hospital must document more than 88 sources of evidence. The presence of these criteria creates a work environment, such as that of Inspira Health Network, which recognizes and rewards professional nursing. The standard of excellence for the designation is judged by the ANCC on the following:
- Basis of the nursing practice on a sound foundation of academic and experiential knowledge
- Adherence to standards for improving the quality of patient care
- Management philosophy and practices of nursing services
- Attention to the diversity of patients, their significant others and the care providers in the system
- Leadership of the chief nurse executive in supporting professional practice and continued competence of nursing personnel
“It has been an incredible journey getting to this point and I’m extremely proud of the hard work all of our nurses, support staff and administration have contributed to achieving Magnet® re-designation, as it has truly been a team effort,” said Sami Abate, M.S.H.S., R.N., C.C.R.N., Magnet® Program Manager and Manager of Nursing Quality for Inspira. “Magnet® is not just one phone call, one application or one site visit — we live it and breathe it every day and this re-designation truly symbolizes how dedicated and committed we are to providing our communities with exceptional patient care and achieving excellent patient outcomes. And that’s what Magnet® status is all about.”
With the network’s commitment to providing its communities with quality patient care and nursing excellence, Inspira Medical Center Woodbury is currently on its Magnet® journey.
Data on how the Woodbury facility meets or exceeds the standards required to achieve Magnet® status are being documented and supported by policies and procedures, quality data and standards related to nursing and the facility as a whole. Inspira Medical Center Woodbury’s Magnet® application is on target to be submitted during the first quarter of 2014.
About the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®
The Magnet Recognition Program® administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world, recognizes healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program® serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program® and current statistics, visit www.nursecredentialing.org/magnet.
About Inspira Health Network
Inspira Health Network is a charitable nonprofit health care organization formed in November 2012 by the merger of South Jersey Healthcare and Underwood-Memorial Hospital. The network, which traces its roots to 1899, now comprises three hospitals, four multi-specialty health centers and a total of more than 60 locations. These include outpatient imaging and rehabilitation centers; urgent care; numerous specialty centers, including sleep medicine, cardiac testing and wound care; home care and hospice; and more than two dozen primary and specialty physician practices in Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Together with its medical staff of more than 1,100 physicians and other care providers, Inspira Health Network provides evidence-based care to help each patient achieve the best possible outcome. Clinical and support staffs are focused on providing safe care in a safe environment.
