Discussed in this post: “Original Research: How Magnet Hospital Status Affects Nurses, Patients, and Organizations: A Systematic Review” (July, AJN)

Is the work it takes to become a Magnet hospital worth it?

The Magnet award recognizing excellence in nursing has been around for decades. It’s not an easy process, nor an inexpensive one—hospitals that apply invest a lot of time, effort, and money. There’s a considerable fee plus the expenses for the site visit appraisers, and many institutions designate or hire a Magnet coordinator whose job it is to ensure policies throughout the organization comply with Magnet requirements. It’s a huge undertaking. And while administrators may groan over the prospect of going through it, many hospitals do pursue it—there are over 500 Magnet-designated hospitals worldwide.

No institution is perfect, but Magnet does mean improved visibility for nursing.

I’ve had experiences, with friends or family, in both Magnet and non-Magnet hospitals. While I felt that overall patient care and responsiveness to patients and families was better at the Magnet facilities, there were also instances where things didn’t go quite the way they should. But in the harried hospital setting, I don’t expect 100% smooth sailing with every encounter with every nurse. What I have heard from several nurses who participated in their hospitals’ Magnet journey is that because of the process there’s a heightened visibility and recognition of nursing’s value within the hospital.

Better patient outcomes; more satisfied nurses.

In the July issue of AJN, authors, all from the University of Almeria, Spain, analyzed the evidence of the effects of Magnet status on patients, nurses, and the organizations in comparison to hospitals without Magnet designation. Among the conclusions from their systematic review is the following:

“Overall, Magnet hospitals demonstrated better nursing, patient, and organizational outcomes, as well as better nursing work environments, than non-Magnet hospitals.”