Magnet designation recognizes exemplary patient care based on quality standards of nursing practice

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) has achieved designation as a Magnet hospital for the second time, a reflection of consistent nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program is the nation’s highest form of recognition for nursing excellence; less than 10% of the 6,000 hospitals in the country earn the designation. PAMC is the only Magnet hospital in Alaska.

During a virtual meeting with hospital caregivers on Friday, Sept. 23, Adam Meier, MSN, RN, NE-BC, executive committee member with ANCC's Commission on Magnet Recognition, congratulated PAMC on earning redesignation.

“As a result of our final review, it is my honor and privilege to officially notify you that the Commission on Magnet has unanimously voted to credential Providence Alaska Medical Center as a Magnet organization,” said Meier. “Congratulations!”

PAMC was also recognized for earning four exemplars from the commission. Exemplars identify a best practice from among Magnet-designated hospitals. The four exemplars are:

• PAMC outperformed national benchmarks for central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) for the majority of eight quarters in 100% of nursing units.
• The Emergency Department and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) outperformed national standards for door-to-balloon time for all eight quarters.
• PAMC outperformed national benchmarks for patient engagement for the majority of eight quarters in 100% of inpatient units.
• PAMC outperformed national benchmarks for patient education for the majority of eight quarters in ambulatory units.

 “Achieving Magnet designation is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the commitment of our caregivers to provide Alaskans with the best care possible,” said Carrie Peluso, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, CENP, chief nursing officer for PAMC. “Earning Magnet a second time builds on the foundation of excellence we established with our first designation and is a source of pride for our nurses, who work extremely hard each day to deliver compassionate care to the people who need it most.”

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.

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations 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 rates
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses
• Fewer nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions

Health care organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. An organization reapplying for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members sustained and improved Magnet concepts, performance and quality over the four-year period since the organization received its initial recognition. PAMC achieved its initial Magnet recognition in September 2018.

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.

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About Providence Alaska Medical Center
Providence Alaska Medical Center, a nationally recognized trauma center and Alaska’s only Magnet hospital, is part of Providence, a not-for-profit network of hospitals, care centers, health plans, physicians, clinics, home health services, affiliated services and educational facilities. For more information about PAMC, visit: alaska.providence.org.

About ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program
The Magnet Recognition Program — administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world — identifies health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit nursingworld.org/magnet.