Nursing & Patient Care
Magnet Recognition Program™
Recognizing Excellence in Nursing Services
"Locate the nearest magnet. If you can easily check into a magnet hospital you'd be foolish not to."
- The Reader's Digest
"Recognizing quality patient care and nursing excellence, the Magnet Recognition Program provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care they can expect to receive."
- The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute was awarded Magnet designation in June 2005 by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) – the nation's preeminent accreditation organization – for its excellence in nursing service and practice. This gold standard for nursing is an honor that has been granted to approximately three percent of hospitals worldwide and represents an ongoing commitment by Dana-Farber to provide patients and families with the most expert, compassionate nursing care.
How did the Magnet Recognition Program begin?
In the early 1980s the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) conducted a study to determine the common characteristics shared by hospitals that successfully attracted and retained nurses. In response to healthcare trends that identified a potentially significant nursing shortage in the coming decades, the Magnet Recognition Program was developed in the 1990s to acknowledge excellence in nursing service.
How did Dana-Farber achieve this status?
Dana-Farber underwent a multi-faceted evaluation process documenting how the organization meets stringent healthcare standards determined by the American Nurses Association (ANA). This included submission of a 2,500-page document and a two-day site visit by Magnet appraisers. All aspects of Dana-Farber's nursing care were determined to be within the range of excellence.
What are the benefits of Magnet designation?
For Patients, Magnet status doesn't change anything about the quality of care they receive, it emphasizes the outstanding level of care Dana-Farber nurses have always provided to patients and families and promotes improvement for the future. Patients treated at Magnet facilities typically have lower mortality rates and greater satisfaction because they are cared for by experienced, educated, and vigilant nurses who successfully collaborate with each other and non-nursing colleagues to ensure the highest quality patient care.
For Nurses, it acknowledges that they are respected members of a multidisciplinary team and are supported by the administration. Nurses who work in Magnet facilities experience fewer injuries, high job satisfaction, and work in an autonomous environment that supports professional growth.