PAOLI, Pa., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Main Line Hospitals' nursing service at Bryn Mawr, Lankenau and Paoli Hospitals was awarded Magnet(TM) designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the nation's highest award for recognizing excellence in nursing care. Hospital administrators announced the shared designation late Tuesday afternoon following a public teleconferenced phone call with ANCC officials. The acute care hospitals represent 2,000 registered and licensed practical nurses.
Of some 6,000 hospitals nationwide, only 169 have been granted Magnet status. The three Main Line Health hospitals bring to eight the number of hospitals in Pennsylvania honored by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program.
"The ANCC is very highly respected among nurses, and we are absolutely thrilled that our hospitals have this important stamp of approval," said Barbara J. Tachovsky, RN, MS, CNAA, Chief Nursing Officer for Main Line Health and President of Paoli Hospital. "Main Line Health has always prided itself in the quality of its nursing practice, and being Magnet hospitals validates what our patients already know: Every day, we deliver excellence in nursing care."
To achieve Magnet status, hospitals must satisfy demanding criteria that measure the strength and quality of their nursing practice as defined in the American Nurses Association and demonstrate 14 "Forces of Magnetism" according to Martha Lyman, RN, MPH, Magnet project manager for Main Line Health.
"The evaluation is extremely stringent and rigorous, involving detailed documentation that is reviewed by a three-member panel of nurse leaders and a five-day site visit by the same panel members," said Lyman.
Lyman, who began organizing the Magnet project in November 2002, described the effort as "a truly grassroots movement in all the hospitals." Her project team included a staff member from every unit, who kept nurses abreast of the application process. "By the time we finished gathering information and data and compiling 12 volumes for the application, scores of staff members had participated," Lyman said.
At the typical Magnet hospital, patient outcomes are excellent, and nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, low turnover, an appropriate way to resolve grievances, and are involved in collecting data and making decisions about patient care. There is open communication between nurses and other members of the health care team and an appropriate personnel mix to attain the highest patient outcomes.
Lyman said the panel bases its evaluation on 65 indicators measured against 14 standards. Nursing leadership is one of the important attributes examined, from how nursing leaders interact with the hospital leadership at the highest level down to the opportunities nurses have to lead themselves.
"There is a very big emphasis with the ANCC on nurses at the bedside having a voice, and that had to come through very loud and clear in our presentation," said Lyman.
According to the ANCC, Magnet facilities consistently outperform non- magnet organizations, deliver better patient outcomes, spend more time at the patients' bedsides, and have shorter lengths of patient stay.
During the site visit June 20-24, Lyman said the panel "really grilled the nurses on nursing practice issues, quality improvements, and innovations. It was very, very intense, but also very positive. The sense of camaraderie was evident everywhere. Doctors stopped the panel members in the halls saying they wouldn't work anywhere else because the nursing care was so exceptional."
Lyman and Tachovsky said there are numerous benefits to having Magnet status, including reassuring patients they will receive the highest quality care and making it easier to recruit and retain qualified nurses and attract high-quality physicians and scientists.
"This is a very powerful award," said Tachovsky. "And it's important to note that while it elevates the nursing practice, this designation is an achievement for each hospital. Nurses aren't islands. If you have great nursing, it's mutually supportive of all departments. When I was touring the hospitals for the site visit, everyone from housekeeping to physicians was giving me the thumbs up."
The Magnet designation lasts for four years, after which the system will have to reapply and go through the lengthy process again. "It's exciting because this is only the beginning," said Lyman. "And that's a great thing."
About Main Line Health
Main Line Health is a non-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. Founded in 1985, MLH includes Bryn Mawr Hospital, Lankenau Hospital, and Paoli Hospital; Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital; the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research; Main Line Clinical Laboratories; Great Valley Health, a physician network; the Wayne Center, a skilled nursing facility; and Mid County Senior Services. The mission of Main Line Health is to provide a comprehensive range of health services, complemented by appropriate educational and research activities, that meets community needs and improves the quality of life in the communities we serve.
Main Line Health is part of Jefferson Health System (JHS), founded in 1996, whose members also include Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Frankford Health System, and Magee Rehab.
Main Line HealthCONTACT: Frieda Schmidt, +1-610-526-8763, for Main Line Health
