SHANDS' FACILITIES EARN 'MAGNET' REDESIGNATION; SHANDS VISTA ADDED AS NEWEST HONOREE

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Six Shands HealthCare facilities in Gainesville have earned the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) “Magnet” status – the nursing profession’s most prestigious national honor for excellence.

This is Shands Vista’s initial Magnet designation. Shands at the University of Florida, Shands HomeCare, Shands Rehab Hospital, Shands Florida Surgical Center and Shands at UF Dialysis Center received redesignation. They first achieved Magnet status in 2003.

Because Shands at UF Nursing is responsible for nursing practice at all six facilities, one joint application was completed.

“Magnet status is the gold standard for nursing excellence and we are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Jodi Mansfield, Shands HealthCare chief operating officer.

Beth Maree, Shands Vista Psychiatry programs director, said, “It is a tremendous honor for us to receive the distinction as a Magnet hospital at Shands Vista. This is truly a reflection of the excellent care our nursing staff and our facility as a whole provide to our patients.”

The ANCC developed the Magnet Recognition Program in 1992 to recognize hospitals that provide the best in nursing care and a supportive professional nursing environment. The program is designed to provide customers with a benchmark for measuring quality of care.

Magnet hospitals must meet stringent quantitative and qualitative standards that define the quality of nursing practices and patient care. The application process includes comprehensive written documentation, which is validated by site visits. ANCC appraisers conducted on-site assessments of the Shands facilities from Feb. 18-21.

“Our redesignation means we met or exceeded Magnet expectations at each facility,” said Rose Rivers, Shands HealthCare corporate chief nursing officer. “This is proof of our excellence in professional nursing practice, exceptional interdisciplinary collaboration and excellence in patient outcomes.”

Rivers said Magnet status assists in the recruitment of quality nurses, physicians and other healthcare disciplines. Additionally, patients and families know that Magnet facilities provide an exceptional level of quality care. Rivers said the next step is to achieve Magnet designation at all Shands HealthCare facilities.

For more information about Magnet, go to www.nursecredentialing.org/magnet/.