Baptist Health earns third consecutive Magnet recognition, considered the gold standard of nursing

Baptist Health has been notified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) that it has obtained redesignation as a Magnet™ Health System for the third time in the past 10 years. Magnet is considered the gold standard among health care organizations that meet ANCC standards for quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in professional nursing practice. Fewer than 7 percent of all registered hospitals in the United States enjoy Magnet designation, according to the American Hospital Association.

Baptist was the first health system in North Florida to achieve Magnet recognition and the seventh in the state since 1998. This redesignation was earned simultaneously by all five Baptist hospitals and Baptist’s home health care division:

• Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville
  (Including Baptist Home Health Care)
• Baptist Medical Center Beaches
• Baptist Medical Center Nassau
• Baptist Medical Center South, and
• Wolfson Children’s Hospital

The American Nurses Credentialing Center, which is an independently governed organization within the American Nurses Association, first granted Baptist Health the four-year Magnet designation in 2007. Baptist earned its second consecutive designation in 2012. To earn Magnet status, organizations undergo a vigorous, multi-faceted evaluation.

The renewal of Magnet designation reflects Baptist Health’s overall excellence in patient care delivered through interdisciplinary teams and is a testament to the health system’s ongoing commitment to providing outstanding quality care to patients and the community.

"Magnet recognition involves a rigorous review process, and the bar is set even higher for achieving redesignation," said Diane Raines, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Baptist Health. "We were able to achieve Magnet redesignation because our interdisciplinary teams worked together throughout the organization to demonstrate that we can create and sustain the highest level of care for our patients."

Years of work went into Baptist Health’s Magnet redesignation process. More than 500 pages of narrative and 400 supporting documents were electronically submitted to the ANCC in late 2016. In July of this year, the Magnet appraisal team interviewed more than 1,000 members of the Baptist Health staff as well as community members, physicians, and board members. Magnet appraisers visited nursing units at each of Baptist’s five hospitals and home health care division during a week-long site visit.

Magnet redesignation recognizes that Baptist Health nurses play a critical role in ongoing efforts to improve patient care through a shared governance model. It acknowledges that our nurses are among the best in attending to patient needs, pursuing ongoing training, working as a team and giving to the community.