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| Vol. 24, No. 14 |
| August 1, 2002 |
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Methodist Joins Nursing "Elite"
by STEFANIE ASIN The Methodist Health Care System The Methodist Hospital received national recognition July 10, joining a small group of hospitals around the country known as Magnet hospitals, acknowledged for their nursing excellence and superior patient outcomes. The American Nurses Credentialing Center gave the award after Methodist demonstrated that it met or exceeded standards in the areas of nursing administration, education, clinical practice, research and quality. The Magnet Nursing Services Recognition Program for Excellence in Nursing Service was established in 1993 and is the highest level of recognition that the ANCC presents for nursing services. Only two other hospitals in Texas have been designated as Magnet hospitals – St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, both located in the Texas Medical Center. "We are honored by the recognition and hope to share our model for nursing excellence with the rest of the state and the country. Methodist nurses deserve this accolade for all they do to bring the highest level of care to our patients," said registered nurse Pamela Klauer Triolo, who also hold a Ph.D. and serves as Methodist’s chief nursing executive and senior vice president. Magnet hospitals receive this designation for providing an environment that attracts and retains the best and brightest nurses and offers them great opportunities for professional growth, Triolo said. Research has shown that the award means as much to consumers of health care as to nurses. An American Journal of Nursing study suggests Magnet hospitals showed lower mortality rates and higher patient satisfaction compared to hospitals without the designation. The study attributes this to more nursing autonomy, control, and relationships with physicians. The Magnet award recognizes management philosophy and practices of nursing services; adherence to standards for improving the quality of patient care; leadership of the chief nurse executive in supporting professional practice and continued competence of nursing personnel; and attention to the cultural and ethnic diversity of patients and care providers in the system. Methodist compiled thousands of pages of answers for the Magnet application, which requires evidence that numerous standards are being upheld. Once the written application was approved, Methodist was visited for two days by appraisers who had reviewed documentation, surveyed the facilities, and interviewed employees to verify that criteria had been met. The public also was given opportunities to comment on the care at Methodist. The designation lasts for four years and then hospitals must reapply.
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