NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Achieves Magnet® Recognition

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center has achieved Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the highest national honor in nursing. The Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence, and is a reflection of nursing professionalism, teamwork, and superiority in patient care.

The nursing team and other hospital staff packed the hospital’s auditorium on Friday morning to await the official call from the ANCC. Silver balloons spelling “Magnet” were taped to the wall, and one nurse held an oversized, homemade horseshoe-shaped magnet while others waved green and white pompoms, the Magnet colors.

Then the call came, and Courtney Vose, DNP, MBA, RN, APRN, NEA-BC, vice president and chief nursing officer at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, answered on behalf of the room. A voice came over the speakers. It was Jeanette Ives Erickson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, the chair of the commission on Magnet Recognition.

“The Commission on Magnet Recognition has recently reviewed your submitted documentation and the findings from your recent site visit,” Erickson said. “It is my absolute honor and privilege to officially notify you that the commission has unanimously voted to credential NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia as a Magnet organization.”

Cheers erupted as people hugged and high-fived their colleagues and confetti poppers exploded, leaving bursts of brightly colored paper floating around the room to the chant of “Magnet! Magnet! Magnet!”

“This is a magnificent achievement ranking with all the medical achievements that we’ve had in the history of this great place,” said NewYork-Presbyterian President and CEO Dr. Steven J. Corwin, noting NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia’s history as the first academic medical center in the country. “This is a singular achievement. … I just couldn’t be more proud and quite frankly more humbled,” he said, underscoring the commission’s recognition of the nurses’ commitment to community outreach, respect, and great care.

The Magnet Recognition Program is the ultimate credential for high-quality nursing. It recognizes healthcare organizations whose nursing teams consistently deliver superior patient care with the highest levels of professionalism and innovation. In addition to Magnet status, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia received three exemplars for excellence, which highlight specific areas of excellence in nursing practice. These exemplars were given for community outreach; a night staff advisory council that focuses on addressing important issues that clinical nurses identify; and exceeding national benchmarks on metrics that demonstrate high-quality patient care.

“Magnet Recognition is about our journey as an organization,” said Wilhelmina Manzano, MA, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president, chief nursing executive and chief quality officer at NewYork-Presbyterian. “It’s about always doing the right thing for our patients. There’s a reason we are one of the top five hospitals in the nation. And that’s one word — you. Thank you so much.”

“Today we pause to breathe in the view from where we are and enjoy it,” Dr. Laureen Hill, MBA, senior vice president and chief operating officer of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, told the crowd. “It’s wonderful to reflect on who we are and the community we serve. We can step out in bold confidence and dare to believe that we will achieve even more. I could not be more proud to be part of this organization and I am thrilled to be on this journey with you.”

“I want to express my gratitude for everyone in this room because it truly does take a village,” added Vose. “It’s about progress, not perfection, and this team is dedicated to advancing our nursing practice and continually seeking evidence-based, innovative approaches to improve clinical outcomes and the patient and employee experiences.”

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 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.

Hospitals that have achieved Magnet recognition provide benefits to their communities and organizations such as higher patient satisfaction related to nursing communication, lower risk of 30-day mortality, and higher job satisfaction among nursing staff, according to the ANCC.