Nicklaus Children's Hospital Ranks Among the Only One Percent of Hospitals Nationwide to Have Achieved a Fifth Consecutive Recognition

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital this month attained Magnet recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® for the fifth consecutive term. Nicklaus Children’s is one of only five children’s hospitals in the nation to have received a fifth Magnet designation and joins the ranks of the only 1 percent of hospitals nationwide who have attained this fifth-term Magnet milestone. What’s more, only 9.7 percent of hospitals in the United States currently hold Magnet recognition status, and only 1 percent of those are pediatric hospitals.

The Magnet recognition program distinguishes healthcare organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence and is the highest and most regarded honor an organization can receive for professional nursing practice. Nicklaus Children’s was the first pediatric hospital in Florida and the fifth pediatric hospital in the nation to achieve ANCC Magnet designation in 2004.

“At Nicklaus Children’s, Magnet recognition is an honor we hold in highest regard. It is a reflection of our organization’s commitment to deliver the highest quality of care and excellence in clinical outcomes for the patients we serve,” said Shannon Odell, MSN, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, CENP, RNC-OB, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “We are proud to offer our community this tangible evidence of our nurses’ commitment. Magnet recognition is one more reason why Nicklaus Children’s is the hospital where children matter most.”

Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public judges healthcare organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.

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 Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands 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.
For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org/magnet.

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 health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program is the highest national honor 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 https://www.nursingworld.org/magnet.