01/17/13
Winchester Hospital First in State to Earn Magnet Recognition Three Times
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the credentialing arm of the American Nurses Association, announced on Monday, January 14, the redesignation of Winchester Hospital with its highest honor for excellence in nursing: the ANCC Magnet Recognition®. Winchester Hospital is the first hospital in Massachusetts to earn this prestigious achievement three times. Winchester Hospital was first honored in 2003, becoming the first community hospital in Massachusetts to be named a Magnet® hospital. 
“It is the greatest honor of my professional career to be able to lead the nursing staff of Winchester Hospital,” said Kathy Schuler, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Winchester Hospital. “Winchester Hospital has a long tradition of delivering high-quality, compassionate care to the patients we serve. That tradition continues to thrive because of the exceptional caliber of the entire staff that works here. Being the first hospital in Massachusetts to be redesignated three times as a Magnet facility by the American Nurses Association is an incredible accomplishment.”
“This is the highest recognition possible for excellence in nursing,” said Kevin Smith, president and CEO of Winchester Hospital. “This honor is bestowed upon a very select group of hospitals. It is an honor and a privilege to work with a staff so dedicated and passionate to their profession and to their patients.”
The Magnet Recognition Program®, so named because these hospitals attract and retain the best nursing professionals, has been earned by only 395 health care organizations – or approximately 7 percent – in the U.S. (eight in Massachusetts), plus ones in Australia, Singapore and Lebanon. The ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program promotes quality in a setting that supports professional practice; identifies excellence in the delivery of nursing services to patients and residents; and disseminates best practices in nursing services.
Winchester Hospital achieved redesignation as a Magnet hospital following an intensive two-year application and on-site evaluation process. The Magnet appraisal evaluates quality of nursing leadership; organizational structure; management style; personnel policies and programs; professional models of care; quality of care; quality improvement; consultation and resources; autonomous nursing care; relationships with community and health care organizations; nurses acting as teachers; the image of nursing in the organization; interdisciplinary relationships; and opportunities for professional development.
The Magnet Recognition Program was developed to recognize health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition of the professional nursing practice. In its review, the ANCC examines all aspects of patient care including nurse-to-patient ratios and patient satisfaction.
Magnet accreditation is awarded for a four-year period. During this time, hospitals are closely monitored to ensure their ongoing compliance with program standards.
To learn more about the Magnet Recognition Program, visit the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s web site at www.nursecredentialing.org. For more information about Winchester Hospital, visit www.winchesterhospital.org.
About the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®
The Magnet Recognition Program® administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world, recognizes healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program® serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program® and current statistics, visit www.nursecredentialing.org/magnet.
About Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital is the first hospital in Massachusetts to earn Magnet recognition, the American Nurses Association’s highest honor for nursing excellence, three times. As the northwest suburban Boston area’s leading provider of comprehensive health care services, the 229-bed facility provides care in general, bariatric and vascular surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, rehabilitation, radiation oncology, pain management, obstetrics/gynecology and a Level IIB Special Care Nursery. Winchester Hospital has clinical affiliations with several nationally recognized hospitals in the region, including Boston Children’s Hospital, Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. To learn more, visit www.winchesterhospital.org.
The Magnet Recognition Program®, ANCC Magnet Recognition®, Magnet® names and logos are registered trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Journey to Magnet Excellence™ and National Magnet Conference® are trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. All rights reserved.