For the third consecutive time, Memorial Medical Center received the highest honor a healthcare organization can attain for nursing excellence, an achievement reached by only 3 percent of the nation’s hospitals.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center honored the nonprofit hospital, part of Memorial Health System, with its Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Services® designation.
“This recognition acknowledges the superior care that Memorial’s nurses provide to their patients day in and day out,” said Marsha Prater, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, senior vice president of patient services and chief nursing officer of Memorial Health System. “Their passion and commitment to nursing excellence is second to none. I am proud of our nursing team for their tireless efforts to provide exceptional nursing care, implement process improvements, introduce new technologies and apply evidence-based nursing practice for the benefit of our patients.”
All Magnet-designated hospitals must apply for recognition every four years. Memorial previously received its two designations in 2006 and 2011. For its third application, Memorial submitted its 2,000-page application and supporting evidence in October 2015. The documentation was reviewed in depth by three Magnet Recognition Program appraisers from across the United States, who then conducted a three-day site visit at Memorial from Feb. 29 to March 2 and interacted with more than 400 nursing staff members as well as physicians, organizational leaders, and patients and their families.
“Achieving status as a Magnet-honored organization three times reflects the exceptional level of care Memorial’s nurses deliver to each of our patients and their loved ones,” said Ed Curtis, Memorial Health System’s president and CEO. “I am grateful for their dedication to our mission to improve the health of the people and communities we serve.”
Recognized as the gold standard for nursing excellence, the ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program honors healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and adhere to more than 100 national standards for excellence in patient outcomes and the delivery of nursing services.
Standards of nursing care evaluated by the Magnet Recognition Program include nursing leadership and clinical expertise, support for professional development and national certification of staff, commitment to quality of care, and emphasis on teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The ANCC developed the Magnet Recognition Program in 1990 to recognize hospitals that provide the best nursing care and support professional nursing practice. The program also provides a network for nurses around the nation to communicate successful practices and strategies.
Memorial Medical Center, 701 N. First St., is a nonprofit, community-based hospital in the Illinois Medical District at Springfield.