What is a Magnet hospital and what does it mean for my care?
The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards Magnet designation the highest level of recognition for nursing excellence to hospitals that create an environment where nurses can flourish in their profession and have a proven level of excellence in nursing care. The foundation for the program began in the early 1980s, during the national nursing shortage, when the American Academy of Nursing conducted research to answer the question: With so many choices, how are nurses deciding where to work? To find the answer, they asked nurses what was important to them and 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 of this research to develop the Magnet Recognition Program, which identifies health care organizations that meet professionals high standards for nursing care and attract and retain like a magnet the nations best nurses. As a patient, the Magnet seal o
