WEST CHESTER, PA — Few hospitals in the United States can claim to have received the highest national honor for professional nursing practice, and fewer still can claim to have earned this honor three times. But Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital (CCH) has done just that, having recently been recognized for the third consecutive time under the Magnet Recognition Program®.
The Magnet Recognition Program® is administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC). It holds the gold standard for recognizing healthcare organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This recognition stays effective for four years, which means that CCH has maintained this high level of nursing practice for well over a decade.
The figure states that only 10% of U.S. healthcare organizations, out of over 6,000 hospitals, have achieved this recognition. This Herculean feat underscores CCH’s commitment to delivering outstanding care to their community, while reaching for the highest standards in professional nursing practice.
“Magnet recognition is a tremendous honor and reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to this community,” says Rosanna Catania-Venuto, Director of Nursing Quality, Professional Practice, and the Magnet program lead at CCH. “Magnet recognition is a tremendous honor and reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to this community,”
This isn’t just an honor for CCH, but it also brings with it tangible benefits for the hospital and the community it serves. Studies have shown that Magnet recognition correlates with increased patient satisfaction, lower patient mortality and failure-to-rescue rates, higher nursing job satisfaction, and reduced likelihood of nurses intending to leave their positions.
The ANCC’s Magnet Model serves as a framework to evaluate nursing excellence across various components of a healthcare organization. It looks at factors like quality of nursing leadership, coordination, collaboration across specialties, and the processes that measure and improve the quality and delivery of care.
Obtaining the initial Magnet recognition is a meticulous and lengthy process that involves widespread participation from both leadership and staff. It includes an electronic application, documentation of patient care, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition.
Reaching for this recognition every four years demands constant adherence to Magnet concepts, along with demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. This requirement highlights the continuous efforts made by the staff at CCH in maintaining this level of nursing excellence.
“Magnet might be a nursing award, but it is truly a hospital achievement,” says Angela Coladonato, Chief Nursing Officer at Chester County Hospital. “Magnet is a nursing award, but it is truly a hospital achievement and requires a true team effort.”
Chester County Hospital is one of six Penn Medicine acute care hospitals that are Magnet designated, and its commitment to the Magnet principles doesn’t show signs of waning anytime soon. Whether it’s their first or third time receiving this recognition, Chester County Hospital clearly puts their patients first in their pursuit of nursing excellence.
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