Learning Objectives
Know the history of the Magnet Recognition Program and its principles
Describe the link between the Magnet Recognition Program and quality improvement
Describe the Magnet Recognition Program process for nursing
HISTORY OF THE MAGNET RECOGNITION PROGRAM AND ITS PRINCIPLES
The Magnet Hospital Recognition Program for Excellence in Nursing Services was established in December 1990 by the American Nurses Association Board of Directors.[1] The program was based on research by the American Academy of Nursing that identified characteristics of healthcare institutions that succeeded in the recruitment and retention of registered nurses (RNs).[2] The concept of the Magnet Recognition Program is based on “forces of magnetism.” These forces are organized into five components that serve as the structure for Magnet organizations.[3]
Magnet recognition is awarded to hospitals for providing high-quality patient care and advancing professional nursing practices by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). It is the greatest honor bestowed on a hospital nursing department.[4] Magnet hospitals, according to the ANCC, have greater percentages of pleased nurses, less RN turnover and fewer vacancies, higher patient satisfaction, and better clinical results.[5]
Following a five-hospital trial program, the ANCC granted the first Magnet designation to the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle in 1994.[6] The ANCC updated the program's official name to the Magnet Nursing Services Recognition Program in 1997.[7] The program was expanded the next year by the ANCC to include recognition of long-term care institutions.[8] By 2000, the ANCC board further expanded the program to include healthcare groups from other countries. In 2002, the ANCC updated the program's formal name to its present moniker, the Magnet Recognition Program. Today, the Magnet Recognition Program recognizes organizations throughout the world where nursing executives effectively integrate their strategic goals to improve patient outcomes. The Magnet Recognition Program provides a road map to nursing excellence that benefits a business as a whole.
HOW MAGNET IS USED FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Nursing excellence is crucial because it guarantees that more patients receive high-quality, long-term, and cost-effective care.[9] Institutions that receive the Magnet credential tend to have happier nurses, higher levels of patient satisfaction, and better clinical experiences or outcomes.[5] Hospitals seeking this accreditation must undergo a thorough on-site study and evaluation. Magnet provides a framework for quality improvement as well as a systematic method for involving employees in the decision-making and improvement process. This is an excellent resource for those wishing to inspire and drive their teams. Magnet designation benefits patients, nurses, and healthcare institutions.[10]
The Magnet model[3] is made up of five core components (transformational leadership; structural empowerment; exemplary professional practice; new knowledge, innovations, and improvements; and empirical outcomes). These components are supported by 14 forces that respond to changing nursing and healthcare environments (quality of leadership, organizational structure, management style, personnel policies and programs, professional models of care, quality of care, quality improvement, consultation and resources, autonomy, community and the hospital, nurse as teacher, image of nursing, interdisciplinary relationships, and professional development).
The Magnet Recognition Program is different from other quality methodologies such as FOCUS-PDSA and Kaizen because this program enhances the overall quality of service and improves service. Kaizen is all about achieving small or large consistent changes that add up to big outcomes over time.[10] The FOCUS-PDSA cycle provides a structure and organization for finding and objectively evaluating prospective changes, such as shorter hospital stays, which improves financial, operational, and clinical results.[11,12] Several organizations have introduced the principles of continuous quality improvement to their employees to aid with this.[11,12] The Magnet Recognition Program could provide a road map to nursing excellence that benefits and uses the quality available resources in supporting the whole program.
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE MAGNET JOURNEY
Participating in the success journey is an effective way to grasp the Magnet concept. Begin by identifying the issue or scenario that requires improvement. Then, determine the elements that contribute to the problem and their frequency. Magnet recognizes healthcare institutions for their quality results, patient care and nursing excellence, and professional practice advances. This atmosphere promotes engaged and empowered employees, which is a necessary basis for every organization.
The model prioritizes supportive practice settings, including a well-established shared-governance framework that appreciates nurses' input in daily choices, particularly those affecting their clinical practice and well-being. Many organizations have effectively used the Magnet model to enhance a variety of critical criteria, including nurse engagement, nurse retention, interprofessional cooperation, patient safety, quality, and results.
The Magnet Recognition Program continues to elevate patient care around the world in an environment in which nurses, in collaboration with the interprofessional team, flourish by setting the standard for excellence through leadership, scientific discovery, and dissemination and implementation of new knowledge.
The following is a list of how to bring the Magnet principles to life:
Actively engage in unit-based councils, hospital-based councils, and/or nursing executive affairs committees.
Help nursing executive affairs achieve its objectives and strategic priorities.
Contribute to multidisciplinary care.
Seek chances for professional development.
Celebrate colleagues' triumphs.
Assist new nurses in their growth and development.
Actively enhance nursing and patient care via research.
Integrate evidence-based findings into practice.
Seek opportunities for improvement and innovation.
Contribute to workplace and patient safety.
Uphold standards of regulatory and professional practice.
Be actively engaged in the autonomy of nursing.
CONCLUSION
The Magnet designation is recognized as the top standard for evidence-based nursing practice. Achieving Magnet recognition empowers nurses to lead and improve the quality of medical treatment and patient care. Magnet accreditation is associated with excellence in nursing practice, quality patient care, and attraction and retention of RNs.
Funding Statement
Sources of Support: None.
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest: None.
References
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