Magnet Hospital Careers
Ask our expert about the benefits of working at one
About Our Expert
Terry Capuano, R.N., is senior vice president, Clinical Services, at Lehigh Valley Health Network.
- What is a Magnet hospital, and what are the benefits of working at one?
- How common are Magnet hospitals?
- What does it take to become a Magnet hospital?
- How are nurses supported at a Magnet hospital?
Q. What is a Magnet hospital, and what are the benefits of working at one?
A. The Magnet recognition program was created to meet the needs of our nation’s nurses and help build the nursing profession. The foundation for the program began in the early 1980s, during the national nursing shortage, when the American Academy of Nursing asked: With so many choices, how are nurses deciding where to work? To find the answer they asked nurses what was important to them, and they studied hospitals to learn why some succeeded in creating an environment where nurses want to work and continue to work.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center used the results to develop the Magnet recognition program, which identifies health care organizations that meet nurses’ high standards. It recognizes hospitals that attract nurses, like a “magnet,” and retain nurses by creating an environment that allows them to practice professionally.
As a nurse, the Magnet seal of approval helps you identify hospitals where you can flourish as a professional, where you have the resources you need to provide high-quality care, where you feel valued and where you are rewarded for going above and beyond for patients. For patients, the Magnet name helps them identify hospitals where they can find satisfied nurses and expect to receive a higher level of care. In fact, studies show Magnet hospitals have higher patient satisfaction, better quality outcomes and the right nurse-to-patient ratios.
Q. How common are Magnet hospitals?
A. Magnet recognition is the highest honor an organization can receive for nursing excellence; and only four percent of hospitals in the country hold this honor. Fortunately, there is a Magnet hospital in the Lehigh Valley at Lehigh Valley Health Network. We’re the only Magnet hospital in the Lehigh Valley region and twice, we have been designated a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Q. What does it take to become a Magnet hospital?
A. Earning the four-year designation status wasn’t easy. We first received it in 2002, and then reapplied in 2006. To receive Magnet redesignation, we submitted 5,000 pages of evidence and hosted a visit from Magnet officials, who studied our work environment, met with our leaders and interviewed staff nurses. We demonstrated how we meet Magnet’s high standards for nurses, and how we’ve taken our care to even higher levels over the past four years.
Q. How are nurses supported at a Magnet hospital?
A. Working at a Magnet hospital means you will have a strong voice in making decisions about your work environment and patient care. You’ll be supported and respected by a team of doctors, pharmacists, therapists, technicians and support staff, and be recognized for your achievements.
You’ll have opportunities for professional growth, including presenting at national and international conferences and publishing in professional journals. You’ll also receive support to go back to school, to earn a certification in your specialty, or to become a “bedside scientist,” conducting research to prove your patients are receiving the best treatments. You’ll work with state-of-the-art technology such as electronic charting that allows you to spend more time at the bedside with patients and less time doing paperwork, and bar-coded medication scanners that ensure you give patients the right dose of medication at the right time. Most importantly, you will work with other caregivers who share your dedication and passion for providing the best patient care.
This page last updated 12/31/08 11:43 AM
