Magnet Redesignation Approaching
By Carrington Dehart, MSN, RN
Elizabeth Muegge, BSN, RN;
Madeleine Ortman, MSN, RN, PCNS
In October 2005, St. Louis Children’s Hospital was awarded Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet recognition is the highest honor of nursing excellence awarded to hospitals, recognizing quality patient care and innovations in professional nursing practice. It’s a seal of approval for quality because Magnet hospitals must have superior patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. These high standards – exemplified in 14 “Forces of Magnetism” – enable a hospital, like a magnet, to attract and retain outstanding nurses.
The Magnet team at St. Louis Children’s Hospital is composed of representatives from each unit. The representatives, or champions, meet monthly to discuss and plan for the hospital’s next Magnet application submission, due October 2008. The written documentation that supports and substantiates qualification for Magnet status is due October 2009, with the anticipated site visit and final decision to follow.
Engaging all staff in the Magnet spirit is a primary goal. Over the next 18 months, the Magnet team will educate and prepare staff for the site visit. Each month committee members will highlight one of the 14 Forces of Magnetism. An educational plan that includes fun activities and prizes for staff will be developed to share information about each force and to provide examples of projects and programs that exemplify that force. Education featured in May included an overview of the Magnet program via poster presentations on each unit. In June, the featured Force was “Consultation and Resources,” and July featured “Nurses in the Community.”
Consultation and Resources
The Magnet team’s goal is to ensure that all employees are aware of professional and clinical resources available, and how they can be accessed. One clinical resource, the Nursing Support Team, was implemented in 2007. The team, consisting of an ICU charge nurse and a respiratory therapist, was created to provide an immediate resource to nurses who had a concern about their patients’ clinical condition. Constructive feedback from team evaluations identified an opportunity to expand team membership to include a physician, and this evolved into the Rapid Response Team. This change occurred in June 2008.
In addition, staff nurses have many resources available to enhance personal and professional growth such as the Evidence-Based Scholars program, support for certification, funding for local and national conferences, preceptor workshops, the Sabbatical Program, and countless others. Education in the form of a crossword puzzle was shared with staff as a fun way to learn more about resources for staff.
Nurses in the Community
During July, the Magnet team focused on the 10th Force of Magnetism. Committee members created a jingle called “Welcome to Magnet Street,” sung to the tune of Sesame Street. They surprised attendees at Nursing Administration Leadership Council and the Nursing Education Council meetings by singing the song and showing a Powerpoint presentation that highlighted St. Louis Children’s Hospital nurses’ involvement in the community. Areas highlighted included the Healthy Kids Express mobile health vans, nurses supporting pediatric camps, as well as community education and screening provided by nursing staff.
Additional information regarding Magnet status can be retrieved from your unit representative or from the following website: www.nursecredentialing.org/Magnet.
Be on the lookout for more information and enjoy the journey to Magnet status.
For more information about Magnet, contact authors Dehart at cxe0845@bjc.org, Ortman at madeleoo@bjc.org or Muegge at exm5922@bjc.org.