Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center has achieved redesignation of its Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The Magnet Recognition Program® is one of the most prestigious and coveted recognitions in the country that a hospital can achieve for nursing excellence and distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. St. Rita’s Medical Center first received Magnet recognition in 2019 as a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork, and superiority in patient care.
“We are so proud of our nursing team at St. Rita’s for again achieving the highest national honor for nursing excellence in the country,” said Ronda Lehman, president of Mercy Health - Lima. “Our nurses are an essential part of our success as an organization and we commend them for their commitment to quality patient care, while furthering our Mission.”
Receiving Magnet recognition for the second time reaffirms St. Rita’s Medical Center’s nursing team as one of the most advanced and exceptional organizations in the country. This recognition comes following a document submission in April 2023. ANCC appraisers visited St. Rita’s in March 2024, for a rigorous 3-day appraisal where they met with nearly 350 nurses, interdisciplinary team members, and members of the community over the course of the three days. The appraisers’ goal was to “verify, clarify and amplify” what was written in the documents.
ANCC developed the Magnet Recognition Program® as a way to differentiate hospitals and health care organizations and honor nursing excellence based on a rigorous audit process. Currently, only 603 hospitals across the nation have designated ANCC Magnet Recognition status. In addition, St. Rita’s is the only hospital in the region to be recognized as a Magnet organization. According to Magnet, designated hospitals are chosen based on a solid professional environment, guided by a strong visionary nursing leader who advocates and supports development and excellence in nursing practice.
“As a Magnet hospital, we are recognized not only for our quality patient care, but for our nursing excellence,” said Cory Werts, chief nursing officer for Mercy Health – Lima. “At St. Rita’s we are committed to creating a practice environment where nurses can thrive, from delivering excellent patient care to elevating their personal wellbeing.”
Once an organization achieves Magnet status, they must reapply every four years and go through a lengthy data collection and review process to maintain their designation. St. Rita’s Medical Center’s application for redesignation was outcome focused, with many examples of clinical nurse and nurse leader involvement in leading changes that resulted in improved outcomes for patients and the nurse practice
environment. The application also required the organization to demonstrate better than the mean nurse sensitive indicator data for the majority of the most recent eight consecutive quarters, including patient falls, urinary tract infections, central line infections and pressure ulcers, among others. In addition to exceeding benchmarks, the nursing department also had to demonstrate and provide evidence of empirical outcomes for a number of standards established by the ANCC. For more information about the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program®, visit http://www.nursecredentialing.org/magnet.
“We are so proud of our nursing team at St. Rita’s for again achieving the highest national honor for nursing excellence in the country,” said Ronda Lehman, president of Mercy Health - Lima. “Our nurses are an essential part of our success as an organization and we commend them for their commitment to quality patient care, while furthering our Mission.”
Receiving Magnet recognition for the second time reaffirms St. Rita’s Medical Center’s nursing team as one of the most advanced and exceptional organizations in the country. This recognition comes following a document submission in April 2023. ANCC appraisers visited St. Rita’s in March 2024, for a rigorous 3-day appraisal where they met with nearly 350 nurses, interdisciplinary team members, and members of the community over the course of the three days. The appraisers’ goal was to “verify, clarify and amplify” what was written in the documents.
ANCC developed the Magnet Recognition Program® as a way to differentiate hospitals and health care organizations and honor nursing excellence based on a rigorous audit process. Currently, only 603 hospitals across the nation have designated ANCC Magnet Recognition status. In addition, St. Rita’s is the only hospital in the region to be recognized as a Magnet organization. According to Magnet, designated hospitals are chosen based on a solid professional environment, guided by a strong visionary nursing leader who advocates and supports development and excellence in nursing practice.
“As a Magnet hospital, we are recognized not only for our quality patient care, but for our nursing excellence,” said Cory Werts, chief nursing officer for Mercy Health – Lima. “At St. Rita’s we are committed to creating a practice environment where nurses can thrive, from delivering excellent patient care to elevating their personal wellbeing.”
Once an organization achieves Magnet status, they must reapply every four years and go through a lengthy data collection and review process to maintain their designation. St. Rita’s Medical Center’s application for redesignation was outcome focused, with many examples of clinical nurse and nurse leader involvement in leading changes that resulted in improved outcomes for patients and the nurse practice
environment. The application also required the organization to demonstrate better than the mean nurse sensitive indicator data for the majority of the most recent eight consecutive quarters, including patient falls, urinary tract infections, central line infections and pressure ulcers, among others. In addition to exceeding benchmarks, the nursing department also had to demonstrate and provide evidence of empirical outcomes for a number of standards established by the ANCC. For more information about the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program®, visit http://www.nursecredentialing.org/magnet.