WHITE PLAINS, NY — White Plains Hospital (WPH) announced today that it has been re-designated as a Magnet organization by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. Magnet designation is the highest and most prestigious international distinction a healthcare organization can receive for nursing excellence. WPH is one of only three Magnet hospitals in Westchester and one of 25 Magnet hospitals in New York State. Only about 7 percent of hospitals in the United States are currently Magnet designated.
Hundreds of WPH staff members and leadership gathered with great anticipation in the Hospital auditorium on Tuesday to listen in on a live conference call with representatives from the ANCC during which the re-designation was announced.
“We are so proud to again receive the honor of Magnet designation,” said Susan Fox, President and CEO of White Plains Hospital. “This remarkable achievement is a validation of the nursing professionalism, teamwork, and excellence in patient care that our Hospital is known for.”
To be recognized as a Magnet hospital, healthcare organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy review process demanding widespread participation from leadership and staff. The path to Magnet status requires extensive written documentation to demonstrate qualitative and quantitative evidence related to patient care and outcomes as well as completion of a multi-day comprehensive on-site visit by Magnet surveyors. The ANCC Magnet survey team spent three-days conducting an on-site survey at White Plains Hospital in September, 2016.
“Our nurses are superstars for maintaining Magnet status and for the exceptional patient care they provide every day. We are incredibly proud of them and grateful to the entire White Plains Hospital staff, especially Magnet Program Coordinator Margaret Brock, RN, for helping us achieve this incredible honor,” said Leigh Anne McMahon, M.S.N., M.H.A., R.N., N.E.A.-B.C., Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at White Plains Hospital. “Magnet really celebrates the teamwork of nearly every department in the organization and is a re-affirmation of our hospital-wide culture of outstanding patient care.”
The Magnet model is designed to provide a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. The foundation of this model is composed of various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.
Magnet recognition has been shown to provide specific benefits to hospitals and their communities, such as:
- Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help, and receipt of discharge information
- Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue
- Higher job satisfaction among nurses
- Lower reported intentions among nurses to leave current position
White Plains Hospital initially achieved Magnet recognition in 2012. Evaluation for re-accreditation occurs every four years.