Nurses • Magnet® Recognition

What is Magnet® Recognition?

It's the highest level of recognition nursing services can receive. The Magnet Recognition Program® was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, to recognize healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care. Magnet status is granted to hospitals that exhibit exemplary patient outcomes and satisfaction, have impressive nurse-patient ratios and attract and retain the best staff from all disciplines.

To date, only 6% of hospitals in the nation hold this prestigious designation. Northwest Community is honored to be one of them.

How does a hospital earn this recognition?

To earn Magnet status, organizations must apply and undergo a multi-faceted evaluation. They must also submit extensive documentation on how they meet Magnet standards. The process is thorough and lengthy, takes a minimum of 18 months to complete. The process includes extensive on-site evaluations and interviews with our staff, physicians and patients. To ensure that Magnet hospitals continue to perform among the elite in the nursing field, they must reapply for this designation every four years and provide updates annually. NCH became a Magnet hospital in 2006 and was redesignated in 2010 for another four-year term.

Why is the Magnet status important to you?

Because nurses play such an important role in patients’ and families’ overall hospital experience. They are the primary source of care and support during some of the most vulnerable times in a person's life. At Magnet hospitals, nurses are experienced and attentive, spending more time at bedsides providing compassionate care than most other hospitals.

What does this distinction say about a hospital's quality of care?

Hospitals that earn the Magnet designation have been proven to have:

• Better patient outcomes
• Lower mortality rates
• Increased patient satisfaction
• Shorter lengths of stay

We’re proud to provide quality, compassionate healthcare services to the people of the northwest suburbs. The achievement of Magnet recognition for nursing excellence affirms our mission to continually raise the standard of care for our entire community.