St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital Receives ANCC Magnet Designation for Nursing Excellence for a Third Time National Recognition Awarded
St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, announces it has received national recognition for excellence in nursing care for the third time from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Designation for Nursing Excellence. Recognizing quality patient care and nursing excellence, the Magnet Recognition Program® provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive.
In 2001, St. Luke’s nursing program was the 37th hospital in the nation and the first in Texas and the Southwest to achieve Magnet designation. The designation was awarded once again in 2005. For each designation, St. Luke’s passed through a rigorous evaluation process that demonstrated not only the nurses’ clinical expertise, but also their ability to advocate on behalf of their patients. With this designation, St. Luke’s has joined the elite one percent of hospitals achieving this status for a third time.
As the gold standard in patient care, less than 6 percent of all hospitals nationwide have qualified as Magnet facilities. Magnet designation not only gives hospitals an advantage in recruiting and retaining qualified nurses, but research has shown that Magnet hospitals also have better patient outcomes.
"We are honored to be recognized for the third time by the ANCC," said Karen K. Myers, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, vice president and chief nursing officer, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. "There’s a Magnet moment happening here every day. We are committed to being the best of the best. We’re proud to have highly skilled nursing professionals who are committed to providing comprehensive care that addresses the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of our patients."
This year, ANCC appraisers met with more than 400 direct care nurses at St. Luke’s and visited every patient care area and members of various hospital councils. The appraisers identified four exemplars that included interdisciplinary practice, shared leadership structure, ongoing professional development, and the use of evidence-based practice in the delivery of nursing care, including the ongoing nursing research program.
“The Magnet re-designation affirms the leading-edge and compassionate clinical care provided at St. Luke’s,” said Margaret M. Van Bree, DrPH, chief executive officer, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and senior vice president, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System. “It was no surprise that our nurses were recognized for incorporating evidence-based practice into the care that’s delivered every day and for conducting research that leads to such practice.”
ANCC is the world's largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA). The ANCC created the Magnet Program in 1994 to acknowledge healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care. The Magnet Program aims to raise awareness of the importance of the nursing profession. It provides nurses with up-to-date information on best practices in nursing and promotes workplace standards and behaviors that help nurses do their very best.
