Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in April earned status as North Carolina’s
first and only five-time recipient of Magnet Recognition® from the
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In 2001, CVMC became America’s 32ndMagnet® hospital and has successfully maintained that designation since.
Magnet® recognition is the highest and most prestigious distinction
a healthcare organization can receive for nursing excellence and high-quality
patient care. With less than 8 percent of U.S. hospitals earning the Magnet®
designation – out of 6,300 healthcare organizations – it is
considered the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when
the public judges health care organizations.
CVMC becoming North Carolina’s first and only five-time Magnet®
recipient places it in exclusive company in the United States. According
to the ANCC, currently just 11 hospitals nationally have achieved the
designation five times.
Adina Andreu, chief nursing officer at CVMC, said, “Magnet® recognition
is not merely an award or a badge of honor. To patients, it means the
very best care, delivered by nurses who are supported to be the very best
that they can be. To nurses, Magnet® recognition means education and
development through every career stage, which leads to greater autonomy
at the bedside.”
To achieve 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.
“Simply put, it means quality and innovation in nursing, which recognizes
a culture for nurses that leads to greater satisfaction,” said Eddie
Beard, CEO and president of CVMC. “Our nurses want to work here.
And satisfied nurses who are not only challenged professionally but also
inspired to innovate are shown to give greater care.”
The Magnet® Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research,
and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants
across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s
nursing excellence.
“We’re a better organization today because of the Magnet®
recognition we first achieved 18 years ago,” Beard added. “Magnet®
recognition raised the bar for patient care and inspired every member
of our team to achieve excellence every day. It is this commitment to
providing our community with high-quality care that helped us become a
Magnet® -recognized organization, and it’s why we continue to
pursue and maintain Magnet recognition.”