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Only 20 other hospitals in the world have earned a sixth designation

Nurses at St. Joseph’s/Candler have proven to provide the highest level of nursing care, earning The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition® for the sixth time.

There are only 20 other hospitals in the world who have earned a sixth designation.

Established in 1994, the Magnet® designation is the highest level of recognition that can be accomplished by organized nursing services in the national and international healthcare communities.

“This is an unprecedented achievement by our nursing staff.  It reflects perfectly the distinguished level of care that our health system provides,” said Paul P. Hinchey, President & CEO of St. Joseph’s/Candler. “The Magnet designation affirms that the skills, commitment and compassion of our nurses results in higher outcomes for our patients. To earn a Magnet award for a sixth time, illustrates how, day in and day out, our nurses’ expertise and undaunted dedication, have impacted our community. Of the 5,000 hospitals in the country, only ten percent have Magnet designation, and only three percent of those have achieved this designation six times. That’s a remarkable achievement.” 

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital are two of only 14 Magnet-designated facilities in Georgia and 624 in the world.

"Receiving Magnet designation confirms our nurses are part of an elite group. It means our patients can expect the best outcomes and the safest care. Patients and families can truly rely on us when they come here," stated Sherry Danello, DHA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at St. Joseph’s/Candler. "This recognition speaks volumes about our whole organization, as it was only possible through the commitment of all our staff, senior leadership, medical team, and Board of Trustees."

St. Joseph’s/Candler showed the Magnet appraisers how the 1,800 nurses in the system were able to improve patient outcomes. During the last eight quarters, the health system outperformed the Magnet standards on:

• Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers
• Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI)
• Patient falls with injury
• Patient satisfaction with discharge education
• Surgical outcomes
• Nurse engagement
• Workplace safety
  

To achieve and maintain Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. The process begins with the submission of an electronic application, followed by written documentation demonstrating qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding patient care and outcomes.

If scores from the written documentation fall within a range of excellence, an on-site appraisal occurs to thoroughly assess the applicant. After this rigorous on-site review process, the Commission on Magnet reviews the completed appraisal report and votes to determine whether Magnet recognition will be granted.

An organization seeking to reapply for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence of how Magnet standards, performance, and quality were sustained and improved over the four-year period since the hospital received its 2020 recognition.

In particular, the Magnet model is designed to provide a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC can assess applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence.

The foundation of this model is composed of 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.

Magnet recognition has been shown to provide specific benefits to hospitals 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
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses
• Higher nurse retention