The American Nursing Credentialing Center's Introduction of the Forces of Magnetism

Magnet asks healthcare organizations to define their philosophy because it is the leading resource for establishing effective and efficient nursing practices. (Magnet Monday, n.d.). This magnet is a landmark behind the success of certain hospitals with low turnover rates, better quality of care, decreased length of stay, and improved outcomes. (Magnet Monday, n.d.). American Nurses Credentialing Center for Magnet status is a prestigious award that not all hospitals attain. Those who are Magnet status have higher nurse retention and satisfaction, improved quality of care, less nurse burnout, and lower mortality rates

There are many major challenges facing the nursing shortage environment today. One of those challenges includes the facility recruitment of registered nurses and then the facility retention of the registered nurses that they have recruited. Factors to consider would be as to why a registered nurse chose to accept a particular job and will they choose to stay at the facility after being given an employment opportunity. A facility’s reputation, union status, autonomy and salary are among some of the factors that influence recruitment. Factors that influence retention includes the inclusion in decision making, practice

Since the employee morale is going down, I think it is important to obtain a good relationship with the local university, Essex University, to provide jobs and internships to the students in the nursing program. This nursing program will make sure that our managers will be able to teach classes at the university and help train the students to be prepared to work in the hospital. This should address the problem of the employee turnover rate to decrease and bring down the number of nursing vacancies. Nurses are a very important part of the hospital because they are by the patient’s side more than the doctor can be, so they have to show compassion all of the time. This is not a hard

The national shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) has helped generate formidable interest in the nursing profession among people entering the workforce and those pursuing a career change. According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in 2002, the national population is continuing to grow and age and medical services continue to advance, so the need for nurses will continue to increase. They report from 2000 to 2020 the predicted shortage of nurses is expected to grow to 29 percent, compared to a 6 percent shortage in 2000. With the projected supply, demand, and shortage of registered nurses and nursing salaries ever-increasing, the nursing profession can offer countless opportunities. But first one must

Nurses working for Magnet hospitals are encouraged to increase their professional knowledge. Nurses are encouraged to grow as a clinician by participating in clinical ladder programs, obtaining certifications, and pursuing advanced degrees. Magnet status is a designation for hospitals that wish to provide excellent patient care and promote nursing leadership. Many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement to encourage nurses to continue their education to pursue an advanced degree. Clinical ladders offer professional and monetary gains. A local Magnet hospital in Richmond, Virginia offers reimbursement for the cost of certification exams to help their nurses have an opportunity for certification in their specialty. McClure explains that magnet hospitals develop a culture of excellence by demonstrating best practices and involving nurses in decision making and policy development. There is a correlation between the nurse with a higher level of education and certifications in their area of expertise and positive patient outcomes. (McClure, 2005).

Many healthcare organizations worldwide are striving to achieve magnet designation. Having the magnet title is essential because it recognizes healthcare organizations that act as a “magnet” for excellence by establishing a work environment that identifies, rewards, and promotes professional nursing (ANCC Magnet Designation, 2012). A magnet hospital is considered to be one where nursing provides excellent patient care, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff

The magnet hospital model is an international design to provide optimal framework for nursing care and future research. The model is composed of transformational leadership, empirical outcomes, exemplary professional practice, structural empowerment, and new knowledge combined with innovations and improvements. Hospitals that participate in the model and were awarded the title are constantly looking to improve and expand. They strive to provide expert care globally. Scheduling and staffing are done in a way to keep nurses from burning out. The lower the burnout rate the higher the rate of satisfaction and overall health of patients. When nurses are not burnt out they work optimally and want to work with their patients and that creates

The nursing situation at Renfrey Memorial Hospital is unsustainable and in dire need of correction on several levels and for several reasons. The primary problem facing this institution is the same problem faced by medical institutions throughout the nation and indeed much of the world: many nurses are nearing retirement age, and the nursing profession is no longer the draw for younger college students and potential applicants that it once was. Because of this general underlying problem, Renfrey memorial hospital has been confronted with a series of practice and financial problems that only promise to grow worse as more nurses employed at the hospital age and retire. Increasing physical and emotional stress as the result of reduced numbers of nursing staff are increasing the motivation to leave Renfrey for many nurses, and in the past few years what has been described as an "exodus" has occurred in the hospital's nursing staff. This has required the hospital to obtain the services of nurses from a temporary nursing pool operated by a nearby agency, which of course leads to issues with the quality and the cost of nursing care.

In the early 1980s it came to light that while the supply of nurses had reached a record high, only 80% of hospitals nationwide had adequate nurse staffing levels (American Nurse Credentialing Center, 2011, p. 8). To address this issue a taskforce was formed within the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). Through an initial study of 165 hospitals, the AAN determined the characteristics of healthcare organizations that were magnetically attracting and retaining nurses as employees (American Nurse Credentialing Center, p. 9). In this study the AAN found “Forces of Magnetism” that contributed to the high level of job satisfaction amongst nurses, superior quality of care, low job turnover, and high level of nurse involvement in leadership, decision-making, and research. In the early 1990s, catapulted by the findings of this initial study, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) developed the Magnet Recognition Program. The intention of the ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program was threefold: To reward hospitals that demonstrated “excellence in the delivery of nursing services to patients;” to encourage quality in the nursing work environment to support practicing professional nurses; and to guide navigation for the dissemination of evidenced-based clinical nursing practice (American Nurse Credentialing Center, 2011, p. 14).

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ACNN) sponsors the Magnet Recognition Program, which focuses on the development of nursing practices and evaluates the environment where nursing is practiced. This program is well recognized by organizations throughout the country, as the Magnet Journey and is considered to be one of the highest achievements that organizations can obtain (Broom, & Tilbury, 2007). Organizations that strive to achieve the Magnet designation, acknowledge the link between a healthy work environment and the development of an organization of nursing excellence. Hospitals utilizing the Magnet concept demonstrate the following characteristics; (a) authentic leadership, (b) skilled communication, (c) effective decision making, (d) quality patient care processes, (e) collaboration and teamwork among all healthcare workers, (f) professional growth and accountability, (g) clinically competent staff and (h) adequate staffing levels (Shirey, 2006). All the above components

Magnet hospitals are named for their potential to attract and retain qualified nurses. Magnet hospitals are facilities that have been certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for promoting positive patient outcomes through best practices in nursing (Upenieks, 2003). The Magnet environment fosters autonomy and professional nursing practice. Research shows 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 (Aiken, Kelly, & McHugh, 2011). Implementation of that environment requires the ability to create trust, accountability, and open communication in changing times.

In today’s society, the medical field is constantly thriving with technological improvements and the growth of educated individuals that contribute to the well-being of others. Nurses make up the largest majority of the industry, and with that, nursing is the fastest growing occupation. Nursing is a job that allows people to not only take care of the sick but also to experience, learn, and further their interests of the human body.

The nursing shortage is no longer a projected problem in the healthcare industry in the United States, this problem is present and is not phasing out anytime soon. Addressing this challenge would improve job satisfaction, reduce burnout in the profession and ultimately improve retention.

With the global nursing shortage, organizations are looking for strategies to retain nurses. One strategy for nurse retention is, encouraging nurses to get certified, according to research studies. The population affected by nurse certification is the nurse, the patient, and the organization. Organizations need to invest into getting nurses certified in their specialty area. Research proves that certified nurses’ self-perception is a sense of empowerment. The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice will be utilized to guide the change to practice. A literature search was conducted using one of the world’s largest database search engines, the Academic Search Complete (EBSCO). The search resulted in over 300 journal articles, which were then evaluated and categorized using the evidence hierarchy rating system. The theoretical framework was the Kanter’s theory of structural empowerment. Fostering the nurses’ self-perception of empowerment, which comes with being certified is a mediator of personal growth; increased competence and confidence; enhanced knowledge and self-esteem; and ultimately retention. Specialty nurse certification proves the nurse continued commitment to education and practice, which are ongoing instead of episodic, and thus more consistent with the changes in healthcare. With the rising cuts in healthcare a constraint organization may face with the implementation of a plan to encourage nurses to get certified is funding.

Like any scientific discipline, the nursing profession has evolved over time. Nurses, once regarded as housemaids and lower class citizens, now hold positions of authority and stature in our modern society. These changes in the profession are attributed to the many nurse theorists who devoted their lives to the improvement of patient care. Through their theoretical advancements, the public perception of nursing has gone from dismissive to reverential. Today, our culture considers the nursing profession to be one of the most rewarding and respected career paths an individual can pursue. Through a review of one such patient theorist, Dorothea Orem, one can witness this change in the perception of the nursing profession. As a first semester student in a professional nursing course of study, Orem has already influenced my personal nursing philosophy.