Boone Hospital Center receives third Magnet designation for nursing care

Boone Hospital Center has attained Magnet® recognition as part of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® for a third consecutive time. This voluntary credentialing program for hospitals recognizes superior quality in nursing care as evidenced by performance outcomes. Magnet recognition is the highest honor a health care organization can receive for professional nursing practice.

With this achievement, Boone Hospital Center retains its place among a select group of 378 out of nearly 6,000 health care organizations in the nation, as one of seven Magnet hospitals in Missouri, and joins a more exclusive group of 113 (less than 1%) hospitals internationally to have achieved Magnet recognition three times.

Boone Hospital Center was initially designated a Magnet hospital in 2005 and received the credential again in 2009.

“Earning Magnet recognition the first time was a great accomplishment. The second time was an incredible source of pride for our nurses. For Boone Hospital Center to have achieved this designation for a third time exemplifies the exceptional level of class, competency and dignity of our nursing staff. It truly is a monumental achievement for Boone Hospital Center and for health care in Missouri,” says Mary Beck, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer.

To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process requiring widespread participation from hospital leadership and staff. The process begins with the submission of an electronic application, followed by written documentation demonstrating qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding patient care and outcomes. If scores from the written documentation fall within a range of excellence, an on-site visit will occur to thoroughly assess the applicant. After this rigorous onsite review process, the Commission on Magnet reviews the completed appraisal report and votes to determine whether Magnet recognition will be granted. Hospitals must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years.

An organization that reapplies for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence of how Magnet program concepts, performance and quality were sustained and improved over the four-year period since the hospital received its most recent recognition.

The Magnet program focuses on high quality clinical care outcomes by promoting quality of care, identifying excellence in the delivery of nursing services to patients and disseminating best practices in nursing care. Magnet recognition has been shown to provide specific benefits to hospitals and their communities, such as higher patient satisfaction and improved patient outcomes.

“Magnet recognition means high job satisfaction, autonomy in practice and high quality of care for over 500 Boone Hospital Center nurses. And being cared for by the best-trained and most qualified nurses results in higher satisfaction rates and improved outcomes for our patients,” says Laura Noren, Magnet Program and Service Line Director.

Magnet recognition has become the gold standard for nursing excellence. U.S. News & World Report ’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.

“Achieving Magnet recognition has raised the bar for patient care and inspired our nurses to provide excellent patient and family centered care,” says staff nurse Maggie O’Laughlin. “Our commitment to providing professional, high-quality care helped Boone Hospital Center become a Magnet facility, and it’s why we continue to serve as a Magnet hospital today.”

For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program®, please visit www.nursecredentialing.org/magnet