ILH Earns Second Coveted Nursing Magnet Recognition
Inova Loudoun Hospital Nurses Rank Among the Best in the Nation
LEESBURG, VA – (October 24, 2011) – Inova Loudoun Hospital has again attained Magnet® recognition as part of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. This voluntary credentialing program for hospitals recognizes excellence in nursing. This credential is the highest honor an organization can receive for professional nursing practice. Inova Loudoun joins sister organizations Inova Fairfax and Inova Fair Oaks hospitals which have also attained Magnet status.
Notification of the designation came via a mid-morning conference call initiated by Patricia Reid Ponte, DNSc, RN, FAAN, chair of the ANCC Commission on Magnet Recognition. On hand to receive the news were members of ILH’s Senior Administration led by CEO Randy Kelley and Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Dugan as well as ILH’s management team, nursing leadership and staff. “To hold the distinction yet again demonstrates the outstanding level of nursing care afforded the residents of Loudoun County. We are proud to be a Magnet facility,” commented Kelley.
Magnet recognition has become the gold standard for nursing excellence and is taken into consideration when the public judges healthcare organizations. In fact, U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.
To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. The process begins with the submission of an electronic application, followed by written documentation demonstrating qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding patient care and outcomes. If scores from the written documentation fall within a range of excellence, an on-site visit will occur to thoroughly assess the applicant. After this rigorous on-site review process, the Commission on Magnet will review the completed appraisal report and vote to determine whether Magnet recognition will be granted.
An organization seeking to reapply for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence of how Magnet concepts, performance, and quality were sustained and improved over the four-year period since the hospital received its initial recognition.
“We are so proud of our nursing team and level of care they provide our community,” commented Dugan. “Our nursing staff is committed to excellence in every aspect of patient care. Truly we are a magnet for the highest caliber care-givers.”
Being recognized as a Magnet facility for the second time is a great achievement for Inova Loudoun Hospital, as it continues to proudly belong to the Magnet community—a select group of 378 healthcare organizations out of nearly 6,000 U.S. healthcare organizations. Inova Loudoun was initially designated a Magnet hospital in 2006. Hospitals must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality.
Inova Health System
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit health care system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research.
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.