Bridgeport Hospital nurses, leaders and other staff celebrated on Dec. 16, after learning the hospital had earned Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Cheers went up and colorful streamers flew in Bridgeport Hospital’s Hollander Auditorium on Dec. 16 as nurses, leaders and other staff learned the hospital had earned its first Magnet designation – the highest honor for nursing excellence any hospital can achieve.
With this designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Bridgeport Hospital is now among approximately 10 percent of the more than 6,000 hospitals nationwide, and one of only seven in Connecticut, to achieve Magnet. Greenwich and Yale New Haven hospitals have also earned the designation and are seeking re-designation.
Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public evaluates healthcare organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.
The Magnet Recognition Program also recognizes healthcare organizations for quality patient care and innovations in professional practice. Magnet appraisers look closely at four areas of nursing operation and development: the hospital’s nursing leaders and how they empower nursing staff; culture of safety; quality of nursing practice; and the best practices nurses discover and share to deliver safe patient care.
“This honor recognizes the exceptional collaboration, resilience and clinical excellence of our nurses and care teams and the outstanding outcomes they deliver for our patients every day,” said Mary Christoffersen, RN, DNP, Bridgeport Hospital chief nursing officer. “It places us among an elite group of hospitals nationwide that consistently deliver the highest standards of nursing excellence.”
“Earning Magnet designation is a powerful reflection of the excellence that defines Bridgeport Hospital,” said Anne Diamond, DBA, JD, Bridgeport Hospital president. “While this achievement represents the strength of our entire organization, it’s our nurses, whose leadership, innovation and commitment to evidence-based care, made this Magnet journey possible.”
The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, the ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence. To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition. The designation lasts four years.
“This is a significant milestone for our entire health system,” said Ena Williams, RN, PhD, Yale New Haven Health chief nurse executive. “It reflects a culture of excellence that extends across Yale New Haven Health, strengthening how we recruit and retain top talent, elevate patient care and advance quality and safety for the communities we serve.”
