Hospital for Special Surgery earns third consecutive Magnet designation

Nursing Spectrum—June 19, 2012

New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery achieved a feat that no other hospital in New York state has been able to manage — earning Magnet designation for the third consecutive time. The award was presented at a special ceremony May 8 during National Nurses Week activities.

In her address to HSS staff and administration, Stephanie Goldberg, RN, MSN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and CNO at HSS, expressed her appreciation for the nurses who give their all every day. "Those three words certainly represent the nurses at HSS," she said, referring to the American Nurses Association’s Nurses Week theme for 2012, "Nurses Advocating, Leading and Caring."

Goldberg praised her nursing staff for their ongoing efforts in keeping fall and pressure ulcer rates low, far below the Magnet threshold, she said. She noted their continued commitment to raising the bar in research at HHS. "You advocate, educate, counsel and lead," she said.

President and CEO Lou Shapiro offered his congratulations to Goldberg and her nursing staff during the ceremony.

"I feel one emotion — pride," Shapiro said. "How can you feel anything but that?"

The third designation validates HSS is on the right track, Shapiro said. "I love Magnet," he said. "It’s a framework that lets us get our arms around what’s important in healthcare."

In addition to comments by physician-in-chief Mary Crow, MD, three HSS nurses: Kathleen Forson, RN, BSN; Ariel Gerber-Leshchinsky, RN, MSN, CNL-BC, ONC-BC; and Sandy Johnston, RN, BSN, ONC-BC, offered their take on what it means to them to be Magnet nurses.

To complete the event, Karen Drenkard, RN, PhD, NEA-BC, FAAN, executive director of the American Nurses Credentialing Center, formally presented the Magnet award to Goldberg and expressed her pride in the hospital. According to Drenkard, less than 8% of hospitals in the U.S. have Magnet designation, and only five hospitals internationally have achieved the status.

"People are looking at you and trying to get to your level of leadership," Drenkard said. "Now is the time to share your best practices, publish them."

For information on Magnet, visit the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®.

Read the full story at Nurse.com.