Photo: Geralyn McDonough, director of Nursing Quality & Practice and Magnet program director at Greenville Memorial Medical Campus, celebrates the announcement of Magnet Recognition with Greenville Memorial Hospital nurses and staff.

Greenville Health System’s (GHS) Greenville Memorial Hospital (GMH) has been granted Magnet recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), reflecting a commitment to nursing professionalism, teamwork, and superiority in patient care.

The ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program is the highest national honor for nursing excellence and distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for delivery of care. Just 471 out of more than 6,300 U.S. hospitals have achieved Magnet recognition, placing GMH on an elite list of top nursing hospitals in the country.

“Magnet designation is the outcome of a commitment to quality and excellence, providing the best care possible for each patient and family we serve,” said Lori Knarr Stanley, chief nursing officer of GMH. “We are now among the elite group of hospitals that are Magnet designated, and I am grateful to the clinical nurses and nurse leaders whose relentless pursuit of excellence is apparent every day.”

Jeff Everett, a third career nurse, joined the staff at GMH in 2014 and served as a peer leader for the Magnet designation’s Champions of Excellence committee, helping to advance Magnet standards throughout the organization.

“Magnet designation is so important because it’s professional, international validation of what we already know – that we deliver excellent care and have been for decades,” said Everett. “I was inspired by the nursing staff as a family caregiver and as a student, and now as a professional I’m proud to serve alongside this group of exceptional nurses. The community should be proud of them as well.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition also provides specific benefits to healthcare organizations and their patients, including higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, a lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower fail to rescue rates, and higher job satisfaction among nurses.

The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. The elements evaluated within this model include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.

To achieve Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that requires 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.

Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public judges health care organizations. 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.