By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    The perfect routine to maintain your weight over the holidays
    The Perfect Routine to Maintain your Weight over the Holidays
    January 11, 2023
    acupuncture health benefits
    5 Benefits of Receiving Acupuncture Regularly
    March 9, 2023
    safe and healthy company outings
    Five Essential Health and Safety Tips for Company Outings
    June 18, 2023
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    the doctor will skype you now telemedicine
    The Doctor will SKYPE You Now
    March 14, 2012
    HHS Updating Regulations to Recognize Changing Technology
    September 12, 2011
    Why Doctors Should Have Their Own Website
    March 26, 2012
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Magnet Designation and Nurses
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > Magnet Designation and Nurses
Specialties

Magnet Designation and Nurses

Michael J Jones
Last updated: March 15, 2016 2:20 pm
Michael J Jones
Share
5 Min Read
How Magnet Designation Affects Nurses
SHARE

How Magnet Designation Affects NursesIf you have been a nurse for longer than a minute, you’ve heard about Magnet hospitals, but you may not have heard what it actually means for patients and for nurses to be in a Magnet hospital. It’s easy to define a Magnet hospital, but it may not be as easy to decide whether or not a Magnet is the right place for you to hang your stethoscope.

How Magnet Designation Affects NursesIf you have been a nurse for longer than a minute, you’ve heard about Magnet hospitals, but you may not have heard what it actually means for patients and for nurses to be in a Magnet hospital. It’s easy to define a Magnet hospital, but it may not be as easy to decide whether or not a Magnet is the right place for you to hang your stethoscope.

Magnet status is an award given by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate of the American Nurses Association, to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria that are designed to measure the strength and quality of nursing care. Nationally, only about 6% of hospitals are designated as Magnet hospitals, and the application process is expensive and time-consuming. Plus, hospitals are required to be re-evaluated every four years.

Increasingly, Magnet hospitals receive honors and accolades from a variety of sources. In 2013, 15 of the 18 medical centers on the exclusive US News Best Hospitals in America Honor Roll, and all 10 of the US News Best Children’s Hospital Honor Roll, are ANCC Magnet-recognized organizations.  Patients often fare better in Magnet hospitals. Studies show patients have a shorter length of stay and higher satisfaction rates in Magnet hospitals. However, patient outcomes aren’t necessarily always better. An American Journal of Nursing 2011 study by Colleen Goode and colleagues revealed that Magnet hospitals provide better care for pressure ulcers, and did offer a higher quality of care and more innovations in nursing practice than in non-Magnet facilities.  However, non-Magnet hospitals performed better in terms of infection control and had fewer cases of post-operative sepsis.

More Read

How An Alcohol Detox Center Can Help You Fight Addiction
RSNA 2012: “Chemo Brain” Is For Real
Stem Cell Treatments And Research Facts According To The Experts
Why Road Rage Should Make Us Feel Good
What Are Some Ways to Treat Psoriasis?

In practical terms, while the application fees run into the tens of thousands of dollars, nurses in Magnet hospitals who do have to have bachelor’s degrees can expect to make more money than their peers in non-Magnet hospitals. Results are mixed, though, about whether nurses have better working conditions in Magnet hospitals than in non-Magnet hospitals.  An October 2011 study by Linda Aiken and colleagues found that Magnet hospitals “have better work environments, a more highly educated nursing workforce, superior nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, and higher nurse satisfaction than non- Magnet hospitals.” Conversely, a July/August 2010 study by Alison Trinkoff and Meg Johantgen published in the Journal of Nursing Administration found that magnet hospitals do not have any better working conditions than non-magnet hospitals. In fact, non-Magnet hospitals outperformed in RN staffing, with units having 30 more RN hours per week. (http://www.truthaboutnursing.org/faq/magnet.html#ixzz3m1KC6xp1)

There are those who suggest magnet designation doesn’t go far enough and should require stricter standards in a number of areas. For example, Truth About Nursing founder, Sharon Summers, suggests that hospitals should be made much safer for nurses, and set safety standards by incorporating no lift policies, mercury and latex free environments, and avoiding toxic cleaning supplies.

As with any program, there are its detractors. Nursing forums are full of nurses who argue that Magnet designation is little more than a marketing tool for the hospital, a money-maker for the agency that confers magnet status, and a way to distract nurses by giving them some of the trappings of power and influence through phony committees so they don’t go seeking real power and influence through unionization.

In the end, choosing a hospital simply because of its Magnet designation may not be the best decision, either as a patient or staff member. Regardless of where you work, be sure to ask the tough questions about how the hospital promotes leadership and empowers its nurses.

Source:

J Nurs Adm. 2011 Oct; 41(10): 428–433.

TAGGED:magnet hospitalsNursenursing
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

CardiologyMedical DevicesMedical InnovationsTechnology

The Value And Criticism Of Robot-Assisted Heart Surgery

May 15, 2019

Mayo Clinic-Cancer Genetics Joint Venture Will Improve Diagnostics

May 25, 2013
Eye Care

6 Important Signs You Might Be Color Blind

March 6, 2020
SpecialtiesWellness

Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Types, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

June 29, 2019
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?