Achieving Magnet Status and Change
In the twentieth century the medical field has seen many changes. One way that hospitals and nursing specifically has changed and implemented the changes is by pursuing accreditations, awards, and recognitions. The purpose of this paper is to understand Magnet Status and the change required by hospitals to achieve it.
Overview of Magnet Status
The history of Magnet Status began in 1992. The American Nurse Credentialing Center first developed of the idea of Magnet Status after extensive research studies were perform during the nursing shortage of the 1980’s. The goal was to find out why some hospitals were able to retain and even recruit nurses during the shortage. It was found that of the 165 hospitals that participated, 41 shared seven core attributes. (Chaffee, Leavitt, & Mason, 2007) These seven attributes were the beginning of what have become the fourteen forces of Magnetism. The attributes or forces are based on nursing standards of care. That is the ability of the hospitals, working with the nursing staff to provide the excellent nursing care. That is care for the patient as well as the nursing staff and the hospital as a whole. The programs first awarded Magnet status in 1994. Since then several hundred have reached Magnet Status with several hundred more in the application process. In 2001 the first international hospital was awarded Magnet status. As with the medical field and even nursing all things must change, this includes the Magnet Program. In 1996 the standards and requirements along with the name evolved and changed. The program became known as the Magnet Recognition program for excellence in Nursing Service with requirements moving from internal review to pu...
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...at nursing is one of the most important areas a hospital needs to address when looking to improve safely outcomes. While many still question the need as well as the cost there is no question the benefit to staff and patients of hospitals that are Magnet Recognized. With this designation reaching international standing many more are looking to join the elite Magnet club.
References
Aiken, L. H., Clarke, S. P. More nursing, Fewer Deaths. doi:10.1136/qshc.2005.017343
American Nurse Association. 2010. Retrieved April 2011, from American Nurse Credentialing Center: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Magnet/ProgramOverview/ForcesofMagnetism.aspx
Chaffee, M., Leavitt, J., Mason, D. (2007). Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
Russell, J. (2010).Journey to Magnet: Cost vs. Benefits. Nursing Economic$, 28(5):340-342
For hospitals to reach their peak in the healthcare world they must work to achieve a prestigious credential by the American Nurse's Credentialing Center ( Truth about nursing). In order to receive such a credential, hospitals must fulfill a set of criteria that will take a lot of work and reform within the hospital itself. To receive magnet status hospitals have to express the fourteen forces of magnetism along with the strict list of requirements (Flores, 2007). Magnet status along with everything has its benefits along with its problems. This credential has been researched in depth, and some research feels that certain thing should be changed in order for magnet hospitals to be the best they can possible be. Lastly, there is no doubt that magnet status is of great value because of how it transforms hospitals from great to greater.
The magnet recognition program began in the early 1980s as a stride towards promoting nurse retention in the United States. Administrators, directors, staff nurses, and hospital administration gathered together to discuss the essentials of hospital designation. The original research, gathered in 1983, was targeted to identify successful nurse retention. In 1993, the ANCC approved the standards set forth in previous research to become standardized utilizing the forces of magnetism. The 14 characteristics described by the ANCC as “forces of magnetism” define the structure of excellence within the healthcare environment. McClure & Hinshaw (2002), describe the following 14 characteristics that attract and retain nurses to magnet hospitals: “Quality nursing leadership, organizational structure, management style, personal policies and programs, professional models of care, quality of care, quality improvement, consultation and resources, autonomy, community and health organization, nurses as teachers, image of nursing, interdisciplinary relationships, and professional development”.
American Nurses Credentialing Center. (2011). American Nurses Credentialing Center. Retrieved July 19, 2011, from http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Magnet/Magnet-CertificationForms.aspx
Magnet status started in 1983 when the American Academy of Nursing's (AAN) Task Force on Nursing Practice in Hospitals conducted a study of 163 hospitals to identify and describe variables that created an environment that attracted and retained well-qualified nurses who promoted quality patient/resident/client care. Forty-one (41) of the 163 institutions were described as "Magnet" hospitals because of their ability to attract and retain professional nurses. The characteristics that seem to distinguish "Magnet" organizations from others became known as the "Forces of Magnetism". In June of 1990 based on a recommendation of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) was established as a separately incorporated nonprofit organization through which ANA offers credentialing programs and services. In December the initial proposal for the Magnet Hospital Recognition Program for Excellence in Nursing Services was approved by the ANA Board of Directors. The proposal indicated that the program would build upon the 1983 Magnet hospital study conducted by the AAN. In 1994 after completing a pilot project that included five facilities, the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle became the first ANCC-designated Magnet organizatio...
Routson, J (2010) Healthcare Reform and Nursing: How the New Legislation Affects the profession; HEALTHeCAREERS.com. Retrieved, September, 16, 2011 from: http://www.healthecareers.com/article/healthcare-reform-and-nursing-how-the-new-legislation-affects-the-profession/158418
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