What is a Magnet hospital, and how does a hospital achieve Magnet status?
Magnet status is awarded to hospitals as a recognition of excellence in nursing. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) evaluates several criteria before granting this status.
- Excellence in patient care and outcomes
- High nursing job satisfaction and low turnover
- High nursing involvement in decision-making and data collection in patient care delivery
- Nursing access to the most current evidence-based information and application of this evidence
- Nursing empowerment in influencing systemic practices to improve patient care and outcomes
Less Than 10% of Hospitals Achieve Magnet Status
Less than 10% of U.S. hospitals achieve Magnet status, and the price tag to the hospital for doing so can exceed $2 million. Magnet status is redesignated every four years, and about 5% of hospitals choose not to reapply. Only 86% of hospitals that achieve Magnet status are redesignated. Becoming a Magnet hospital can benefit hospitals by increasing insurance reimbursement and revenue and decreasing costs for things like hiring and training staff because Magnet hospitals tend to have better staff retainment. Advertising Magnet status may also improve the hospital’s standing within the community and attract patients who may have otherwise sought their health care elsewhere.
Why Wouldn’t a Hospital Maintain Magnet Status?
There are many reasons why a hospital may either not apply or not be redesignated as a Magnet hospital. Sometimes it is because the burdens of maintaining magnet status outweigh the benefits. Sometimes the hospital no longer meets the strict criteria for redesignation. For example, in 2006, UC Davis Medical Center was not redesignated as a Magnet hospital after labor issues and unrest raised concerns with the review board. It subsequently got its Magnet status back in 2014. Other hospitals have given up Magnet status because they needed to focus on other things like opening new facilities and didn’t have the resources to do both simultaneously.
What Happens if a Hospital Loses Magnet Status?
Depending on the circumstances, a hospital losing Magnet status can raise serious concerns for staff and potential applicants. This is especially true if the reason for the loss of status is related to labor problems. At some hospitals, there has been a feeling that the culture changed after Magnet status was awarded, and the hospital was not as committed to the cultural goals of the Magnet program as they were to the financial benefits of the designation. Research supports improved work environments and job satisfaction at Magnet hospitals vs. non-Magnet hospitals and supports hospitals’ efforts to maintain the high bar required to retain this status.
Where to Find a Magnet Hospital and Nursing Jobs
Are you looking for your next career opportunity? To find out if a hospital has Magnet status or search for a Magnet-designated hospital for employment, check out our Magnet showcase. Then, your next job can be waiting for you!
We’ll be at the 2022 ANCC National Magnet Conference® October 13-15 at the Philadelphia Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. Stop by booth 2018. We look forward to seeing you there!
