Magnet Hospitals

There is an accreditation that hospitals can receive called "Magnet". This accreditation is specific to nursing and therefore, is supposed to be a benefit for the nursing staff. The Magnet recognition is supposed to be geared towards nursing excellence and is supposed to be a great recruiting tool. The application process is long and costly but in the end, if you succeed, you will have this prestigious designation. The process at my hospital took 18 months. There were committees formed, consultants brought in, staff was hired, management was prepped and so were the bedside nurses. Flowsheets were sent to everyone in case a Magnet surveyor approached you, make sure you know the right answers. Flyers were hung on the wall, management information was made available, newsletters were started and communication was prevalent. Nurse and physicians were communicating and working on the same team. Staffing was a dream come true, everyone was happy and fulfilled, therefore, we achieved Magnet status. Good for us. I have now worked at 4 Magnet hospitals; I stayed here because it wasn't Magnet (that backfired).

Now, 6 months after Magnet status was achieved there is a different story. Those committees are gone, staff has left and not been replaced, management is absent, no one cares about the mission statement anymore. The budget is a mess (think how expensive those consultants are), the flyers are gone, management information that was so available is now 6 months out-dated, communication is non-existent. The nurse-physician relationship is spiraling downward, the autonomy that was enjoyed by nursing has been replaced with poor physician support and no management support. Staffing is a nightmare and with no more overtime (because of the budget) there is no relief in sight. Support services have been cut so nurses are doing more work, but don't worry, they aren't hiring anymore nurses.

So this is my advice to all the hospitals that are trying to achieve or are considering Magnet status. Save your money and time. Instead of spending money on committees, consultants, more staff and management put the nurses at the bedside. The patients come to the hospital to receive nursing care and they don't understand about budget constraints when they can't get a nurse to help them. Save the time you would have spent on the entire process and instead support the nurses you have, tell them they are doing a good job and give some positive feedback. Don't get consumed with achieving Magnet status, it really isn't that great.