OSF St. Joseph Medical Center met magnet expectations on all 168 sources of evidence recorded, and received six exemplary marks, according to a recent report sent by the American Nurses Credential Center (ANCC).

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center received exemplars in the Quality of Nursing Leadership, Quality of Care, Nurses as Teachers and Image of Nursing sections. Three of the six exemplars were marked in the Image of Nursing section.

In the Quality of Nursing Leadership section, the Commission on Magnet noted OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s Press Ganey results, in which the medical center achieved the 98th percentile. The Press Ganey results were received during the October site visit, where the commission also recorded the immediate notification, communication and celebration of the results, as being exemplar.

In the Quality of Care section, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s focus on ethical care was noted as being outstanding and the new position of Palliative Care Nurse, a nurse who specializes in end-of-life care, was cited. Also recorded was the fact that the Ethics Committee is chaired by a direct care OB nurse.

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s Culture of Respect was noted as fully implemented and could be observed throughout the organization. The enrollment of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Regulatory Coordinator in a bioethics consultant program was also mentioned.

In the Nurses as Teachers section, the long standing relationships with local universities and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s commitment to baccalaureate and higher degree education, as well as, the service of nursing leaders in clinical faculty positions were all noted.

In the Image of Nursing section, the commission provided examples of how the CNO has influenced OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s organizational decision-making and strategic planning, including implementations of Transforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB), a Robert Wood Johnson grant awarded to 60 hospitals, in the Family Care Center; Clinical Nurse Leaders; and the 12-bed hospital model of care.

Examples of nurses in non-traditional roles, including Directors of Quality Resource Management, Environmental Services (previously), Materials Management, Human Resources, and Admitting/Registration were recorded.

Testimonials from the Community Board, Sister Judith Ann, an O.S.F. chairperson for OSF HealthCare, and other community representatives demonstrated to the commission a consistent theme of “a caring family, both for each other as colleagues and employees, as well as for patients and families.”

On December 15, 2008, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center achieved Magnet designation for excellence in nursing services by the ANCC. OSF St. Joseph Medical Center is the first hospital in McLean County to achieve Magnet Recognition, and only the 18th in the state of Illinois.

Magnet Recognition lasts four years, during which time the ANCC monitors the hospital closely to ensure it maintains high standards of care.

The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and adherence to national standards for the organization and delivery of nursing services. The ANCC’s 11-member Commission on Magnet made a unanimous decision to make OSF St. Joseph Medical Center a Magnet hospital.

Magnet applicants undergo a rigorous evaluation process, including written documentation of 14 specific areas of nursing practice called Forces of Magnetism. Hospitals also partake in extensive interviews and an on-site review of nursing services. OSF St. Joseph Medical Center has been working toward this recognition since 2004.

The Commission on Magnet recognizes 307 healthcare organizations in 45 states, as well as one each in Australia and New Zealand, for their excellence in nursing.
ANCC is the world's largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association.