FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital has received the Magnet Recognition Program Award for excellence in nursing services from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the nation’s largest and leading nursing credentialing organization within the American Nurses Association (ANA).
Less than three percent of hospitals nationwide have achieved the coveted Magnet status, the most elite designation honoring nursing quality. Of the more than 6,400 hospitals nationwide, HMFW is the 142nd in the United States, and the first in Tarrant County to earn this honor.
Just as the name implies, a Magnet designated hospital is recognized for its magnetic nursing environment, which studies show attract and retain well- qualified nurses by creating an environment where nurses and staff work collaboratively and within a culture that supports new ideas and excellent work practices.
What does this award mean for patients and the community?
Having a Magnet designated hospital nearby means that when a hospital visit is needed, the patient can expect to experience better patient outcomes, a shorter length of stay and higher rates of patient satisfaction, in addition to having nurses who spend more time at the bedside, according to ANA.
Magnet organizations have transformed the hospital environment, fostered innovative, patient-focused ideas and raised the bar on patient care, according to ANA’s Website.
The current capacity issues all Metroplex hospitals are facing during this extra demanding flu season illustrate perfectly the work of a Magnet designated hospital. During the last two weeks, the HMFW emergency department has been full, as have all of the emergency departments in the city.
“To cope with the unusually high volume of patients and to efficiently move admitted patients from the emergency department to inpatient beds, we have implemented a number of capacity management and patient satisfaction initiatives,” said Phyllis Norman, RN, MBA, CNAA, vice president of patient care services at HMFW. “From creating a new patient discharge lounge to having women’s services nurses volunteer to work shifts in the emergency department, the teamwork and environment that are indicators of a Magnet designated hospital are thriving during this ever-challenging time.”
While Magnet designation demonstrates the importance that an organization places on nurses and nursing care in achieving positive patient outcomes, it also acknowledges the fact that the physicians on the medical staff and the entire hospital team are working effectively together to create a culture that supports patient safety, quality and satisfaction, Norman added.
Recognizing quality patient care and nursing excellence, the Magnet Recognition Program provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive. As a natural outcome of this, the program elevates the reputation and standards of the nursing profession.
More about Magnet
The foundation of the Magnet Recognition Program Award is built upon the Magnet Hospital Study conducted by the scholars of the American Academy of Nursing and recognizes health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition of professional nursing practice.
“Magnet designation gives us the ability to measure our performance against national standards in a variety of areas, and to highlight what we are doing that is innovative and exciting in terms of patient care and nursing outcomes,” said Mary Robinson, RN, PhD, director of clinical education at HMFW and Harris’ Magnet program director. “The motivating component about the Magnet preparation process is that it gave us a blueprint map from which to measure our performance, along with concrete suggestions about how to improve. Now, we are being recognized for these accomplishments and improvements, and for our excellence in nursing.”
The Magnet Recognition Program is based on quality indicators and standards of nursing practice as defined in the ANA’s Scope and Standards for Nurse Administrators (2003). The Magnet designation process includes the appraisal of both qualitative and quantitative factors in nursing.
For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program, visit http://nursingworld.org/ancc . To learn more about quality measures and outcomes at HMFW, call the hospital’s quality hotline at (817) 810-7777.
About Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital
Celebrating its 75th anniversary on March 3, Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital (HMFW) is Tarrant County’s largest and busiest hospital and regional referral center. A member of Texas Health Resources, HMFW is licensed for 610 beds and provides the following services: cardiovascular; neurosciences; orthopedics and sports medicine; rehabilitation; adult critical care and neonatal intensive care; high risk and routine obstetrics and gynecology; trauma and emergency medicine; cancer care; medical/surgical; kidney transplants; occupational health; and more. For more information, please call Public Relations at (817) 882-2550 or e-mail hmfwpublicrelations@texashealth.org .
Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital
CONTACT: Ashley Wesson, ashleywesson@texashealth.org , or Laura VanHoosier, both of Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital, +1-817-882-2550, orpager, +1-817-930-2515
Web site: http://nursingworld.org/ancc