Magnet recognition is much more than a title. The designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center is the highest national honor for nursing excellence and signifies professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. Rady Children’s has been Magnet- recognized since 2017. Achieving Magnet recognition is no easy feat. Hospitals must pass a rigorous assessment in which they’re judged on more than 90 different components. The process also includes an electronic application, an on-site visit and an extensive review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition. “We demonstrate not only clinical outcomes, but we also have to show how nurses are empowered, engaged and performing at an excellent level across all disciplines within healthcare,” says Dr. Ryan. Magnet recognition also comes with perks. Research shows that health care organizations with Magnet accreditation have patients who are more satisfied with nurse communication and the availability of help, and among their nursing staff, higher job satisfaction and less turnover. THE MEANING OF MAGNET
WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON GETTING TO KNOW OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES AND ESTABLISHING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM WHILE MAKING SURE THAT THEY’RE ABLE TO GET THE CARE THEY NEED.
residency program for new nursing graduates, called the New Graduate Transition to Practice Program. This nursing “bootcamp” incorporates classroom, virtual and hands-on learning, plus guidance from more seasoned nurses. There are also programs for experienced nurses transitioning into pediatrics and for travel nurses converting to full-time staff members.
“We have been very creative in how we can recruit and retain our staff,” Dr. Ryan says.
No matter which department a nurse works in, many say their favorite part of the job is working with the kids. Dr. Ryan recalls one of her most memorable patients, a boy named Nemo who we flew in from Arizona suffering from heart failure. He was placed on the transplant list for a heart, but his condition continued to decline, and doctors determined he needed a kidney transplant as well. He became the first double transplant patient at Rady Children’s (read more of Nemo’s story at rchsd.org) and is now healthy and back home. “It’s indescribable the work that we do each and every day,” she says. “It’s incredible to be a part of a team that will be making a difference in the lives of patients for many, many years to come.”
SPRING 2024 HEALTHY KIDS MAGAZINE 11
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