How the Magnet Program is Helping Improve Hospitals’ Nursing Staff

When the Magnet program and the award that accompanied it was first introduced by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the goal of the program was to help hospitals across the nation improve the quality of care offered by their nursing staff by shining a spotlight on the need for qualified nurses who are happy with their jobs and are given the tools and resources they need to provide exceptional patient care.

Thus far, the program is working. Given the incentive of receiving the Magnet award, hospitals are putting more effort toward promoting the practices outlined by the program and are working harder at giving their nursing staff the resources needed to succeed. So far, the results have been telling.

One 2013 study showed that Magnet hospitals have a 14% lower mortality rate as well as a 12% lower failure to rescue rate. A 2011 study showed that Magnet hospitals provided higher quality of care and more nursing innovations than non-magnet hospitals, and another 2011 study is quoted saying, 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.”

What the Success of the Magnet Program Means for Those in the Nursing Field

The benefit of the Magnet program for patients in Magnet hospitals has been proven, but what particular benefits does the Magnet program offer to the nurses themselves? In addition to encouraging a better work environment and higher job satisfaction, one key benefit that the Magnet program offers to those in the nursing field is that it is creating a need for highly educated nurses.

Looking back at the quote from the 2011 study, you’ll note that one of the things found in Magnet hospitals is a “more highly educated nursing workforce”. Indeed, one of the best ways that hospitals can meet the requirements for the Magnet award is to increase the number of nurses on staff who have earned their BSN degree. As such, the need for BSN nurses has never been higher.

There’s no doubt the Magnet program is succeeding in its mission to highlight the importance of educated, equipped, and satisfied nurses, and in doing so it is making the need for more nurses who have earned their BSN degree all the more prevalent. The Magnet program highlights the need for highly educated nurses in today’s hospitals, and it’s already creating a number of benefits for both patients and nurses alike.