SCH named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence

As you may have heard in the Auditorium on May 19, the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® for excellence in nursing services has granted Swedish Covenant Hospital Magnet status.

Magnet recognition for nursing excellence places SCH among only four hospitals in Chicago, 24 hospitals in Illinois and 371 hospitals in the world to hold this designation. It is the highest and most prestigious international distinction a healthcare organization or hospital can receive for nursing excellence and outstanding patient care, and it comes after four years of preparation and hard work.

 When the designation was announced, CNO Mary Shehan told those in attendance:

“I’m confident that when a patient sees we are a Magnet hospital when they walk through our doors, they will get the best service possible. They will expect excellence, they will expect the best outcomes, and most importantly they will expect that we respect and treat our employees the best. And we will. To you nurses, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The Magnet Recognition Program
The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing services and adherence to national standards for the organization and delivery of nursing services. Having Magnet designation means that our patient care program has been named one of the best in the nation.

Our Journey toward Magnet Recognition has already strengthened our nursing team by helping them develop and deliver successful nursing practices, and Magnet recognition will continue to do so in the future. Additionally, research shows that Magnet recognition is associated with improved nursing quality, patient outcomes and patient safety as well as nurse satisfaction, recruitment and retention.

Our Magnet Journey
After three years of preparation, in December 2009, SCH's efforts were recognized when the ANCC announced that they had accepted our documents and were reviewing our application to become a Magnet hospital.

In February 2010, Magnet surveyors made a three-day site visit to SCH to hear from hospital employees, community leaders, schools of nursing, patients and medical staff.

Following the visit, Mary Shehan, senior vice president and chief nursing officer, told employees she felt "an overwhelming sense of pride" in our organization and that the site visit had been a success. 

"The Magnet surveyors were impressed with the collaboration and team work that was seen at all levels of the organization," she wrote in a message to employees. "It was very evident to them that every employee, nursing as well as non-nursing, is focused on quality and improving the patient experience."

SCH nurses then waited for final results from the ANCC and diligently continued the efforts which  made SCH a great candidate for the Magnet Recognition Program.

On May 19, 2010, the ANCC announced that SCH is a Magnet hospital.

Earning Magnet status reaffirms the hard work and dedication of our entire staff and reinforces our vision of excelling as the leading independent hospital in Chicago.

View a video of nurses reacting to Magnet designation

A montage video of employee reactions is available online on the new Media Center on the SwedishCovenant.org Web site and on the hospital Intranet.

To view through the hospital Intranet, click here.
To view on the SwedishCovenant.org Media Center, click here.

The video will also be shown at the Manager’s Meeting and STAR awards, both to be held on Thursday, May 27. 

Please note: videos may not be accessible from all hospital computers.