Excellence in Nursing

Magnet Designation Joint Commission Certified Nurses

Magnet Designation

Carle Foundation Hospital is proud to hold Magnet designation, a national recognition for nursing excellence granted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). With this designation, Carle joins an elite group of fewer than 300 hospitals in the nation and only 30 in Illinois.

To achieve Magnet status in 2009, Carle underwent a rigorous evaluation spanning several years. The process included site visits; reviews of patient care outcomes and nursing practices; testimonies from nurses, physicians and other clinical staff, among other metrics.

Magnet status is given in four-year increments. Hospitals must reapply for the designation; it is not automatically renewed. Hospitals must meet the 14 Forces of Magnet:
 

1. Quality of Nursing Leadership

2. Organizational Structure
3. 
Management Style

4. Personnel Policies & Programs

5. Professional Models of Care

6. Quality of Care
7. 
Quality Improvement

8. Consultation & Resources

9. Autonomy

10. Community and the Healthcare Organization
11. 
Nurses as Teachers
12. 
Image of Nursing
13. 
Interdisciplinary Relationships

14. Professional Development

Benefits OF MAGNET

For Patients

Research shows Magnet hospitals deliver higher quality and safer care than non-Magnet hospitals. Nurses at Magnet hospitals also are more highly educated and adhere to best nursing practices. Patients can expect:

• Better outcomes
• 
More time with nurses at the bedside
• 
Shorter lengths of stay
• 
Lower mortality rates
• 
Higher patient satisfaction rates

For Nurses

Magnet organizations offer a superior working environment where nurses are highly valued. Carle’s clinical staff enjoys state-of-the-art technology and the opportunity to conduct research in difference-making areas such as pain management. In addition, Magnet hospitals provide:

• More interaction with patients

• A commitment to following best nursing practices

• Higher nurse satisfaction rates
• 
Increased nurse retention and recruitment

• A positive working environment

• Better relationships with physicians and other clinical staff

For Physicians

Magnet hospitals are among the most innovative and technologically advanced in the country. And they foster collaboration and encourage strong professional relationships between medical and clinical staff. Research has demonstrated that Magnet hospitals are better able to attract high quality physicians and specialists, who enjoy working with a superior medical and clinical team.

National Joint Commission Accreditation for Carle Foundation Hospital

Joint Commission accreditation involves evaluating a healthcare organization's performance in areas that most affect patient health and safety. These areas are defined in The Joint Commission standards. By achieving accreditation, a health care organization makes a commitment to follow The Joint Commission standards, which provide the framework for safe, quality care.

Certified Nurses at Carle

More than 170 nurses at Carle have achieved a nationally recognized credential through successful completion of a rigorous exam process. Certification is a significant marker of the knowledge and experience they bring to patient care. 

Evidence shows that certified nurses promote:

• Patient confidence in a nurse's abilities
• Earlier intervention to prevent problems
• More nurse/physician collaboration

Certified registered nurses at Carle hold certifications in many specialties, including:

• Trauma
• Breastfeeding/lactation
• Adult critical care
• Case management
• Medical/surgical care
• Hemodialysis
• Wound care
• Emergency communications
• Sexual assault
• Oncology
• Pediatrics
• Neonatal intensive care
• Ambulatory perianesthesia
• Ostomy care
• Gastroenterology