As National Nurses Week begins today, Tufts Medicine is pleased to announce that Lowell General Hospital has attained Magnet recognition for the fourth consecutive time, a testament to the hospital's continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes healthcare organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.
Receiving Magnet recognition for the fourth time is a great achievement for Lowell General Hospital, as it continues to proudly belong to the global Magnet community – a small, select group of healthcare organizations and hospitals.
"To earn Magnet recognition for a fourth time is a tremendous honor and reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to our community," said Cecelia Lynch, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Vice President Patient Care Services and Chief Nurse Executive, Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital. "This achievement reflects the dedication, excellence and professionalism demonstrated by our nursing team and the collaborative spirit of every department across Lowell General Hospital."
Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to healthcare organizations and their communities, such as:
- Higher patient satisfaction
- Better patient outcomes
- Increased job satisfaction among nurses
- Improved safety and quality
Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public assesses healthcare organizations.
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.
The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These 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 initial 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.
Healthcare 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 most recent recognition.
"Magnet isn't just a badge of excellence. It is a continuous commitment to improvement, elevating the patient experience, and fostering an environment where every team member is empowered to do their best," said Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital President Amy Hoey, RN. "This is why we all got into healthcare. To be caregivers that care from the heart, give from the heart and truly make an impact on the patients in our community."
About Tufts Medicine
Tufts Medicine is an innovative health system that brings together the best of academic and community medicine to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care. Tufts Medicine is comprised of Tufts Medical Center, the principal teaching hospital of Tufts University and Tufts University School of Medicine, Lowell General Hospital, MelroseWakefield Hospital, Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford, Care at Home and an integrated network of 2,300 physicians in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. We treat the most complex conditions, keep our communities healthy and bring research breakthroughs to life.
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 healthcare 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 www.nursingworld.org/magnet.
