Standards and Structures Term Paper

Total Length: 1624 words ( 5 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 5

Page 1 of 5

The Influence of Magnet Designation on Nursing Leadership Development in Healthcare Institutions

Abstract Magnet designation refers to a level of distinction that a healthcare facility can complete in order to achieve a higher level of excellence. This paper examines the background of this distinction and how it can potentially force hospitals and the staff teams within them to reach a higher level of quality of care, including better outcomes for patients, and greater satisfaction for members of staff. Examining a range of different research papers on this topic, the findings show without any uncertainty, that magnet certification is beneficial to a hospital or healthcare facility. Magnet distinction causes all the parties involved to work at a higher level of excellence, setting a strong example for all involved. In fact, the research is so compelling in this regard; it shows that when a facility loses its Magnet standing, the facility generally suffers, having less positive outcomes and levels of contentment for team members. Finally, this paper explores what all these findings imply for the good and improvement of the nurse leader.

Introduction

Magnet Designation is a truly elite distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and represents the pinnacle and most prominent acknowledge of excellence a professional healthcare facility can ever achieve. Only 8% of all American hospitals receive this designation, making it a clear platinum standard of superior healthcare delivery (Drenkcard, 2010). However, it’s more than just a distinction or an empty award: magnet designation is a sign of a facility with strong inner-workings marked with efficiency and excellence.

The important aspect of magnet distinction is that it is a performance-driven recognition credential: “Achieving it brings not only external prestige but wide-ranging internal benefits. Evidence is mounting that taking the Journey to Magnet Excellence™ has a dramatic impact on quality, service, cost, and human resource measures” (Drenkcard, 2010). Thus, this designation helps empower organizations to engage in practices that ensure they run a tighter ship, fostering more positive outcomes for people. This is because such a distinction pushes for better clinical practices that are higher in quality. It also helps healthcare professionals to pinpoint superior practices within the greater delivery of nursing services to patients. This recognition also offers a means for sharing and spreading the most ideal methods in nursing services (Drenkcard, 2010).


The research demonstrates that healthcare facilities with this distinction have: “higher percentages of satisfied registered nurses (RNs), lower RN turnover and vacancy, improved clinical outcomes, greater nurse autonomy, and improved patient satisfaction” (Drenkcard, 2010). These better outcomes shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone: hospitals that have reached this level of excellence have done so because they are simply more efficient places and hence better places to work. Hospitals and other facilities who have this designation have engaged in a commitment that was several years long that has forced them to accept a structure that will mean they participate in quality improvement efforts for motivating staff at all levels and supporting everyone as the engage in a career-long journey of improvement and excellence. This most notably includes nursing leadership. Nursing leadership can’t help but thrive in such an environment, as everyone is working to become more seasoned professionals.

Relevant Scholarship

The current literature supports the overall importance of Magnet designation for nurses and highly efficient healthcare facilities. For example, transformational leadership is one of the major aspects connected with the Magnet program. In one research study, “Transformational and transactional leadership styles of nurse managers were positively related to staff nurse overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with opportunity for promotion…. Satisfaction with nurse manager leadership was a positive influence on overall nurse job satisfaction when separately controlling for the influence of each leadership style” (Bormann & Abrahamson, 2014). This finding allowed the researchers to conclude that transformational leadership styles, as part of the Magnet program was so useful it should be taught and fostered among nurse leaders in order to impact the overall level of contentment among staff nurses (Bormann & Abrahamson, 2014). In a similar fashion, another study found that Chief Nursing Officers who were Magnet designated were also well ensconced within their functional and enlightening methods. This study sent surveys to just under 400 Magnet CNOs to assess their leadership practices inventory. The researchers found that, “Those 60 years or older and those with doctorate degrees scored significantly higher in inspiring a shared vision and challenging….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Standards And Structures" (2018, June 16) Retrieved July 5, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/standards-structures-2169852

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Standards And Structures" 16 June 2018. Web.5 July. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/standards-structures-2169852>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Standards And Structures", 16 June 2018, Accessed.5 July. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/standards-structures-2169852