Nurses' Choice: Top 50 US Hospitals

-jt · Dec 9, 2002

There is a national top hospitals for nurses list - (in almost 20 yrs there are only about 60 of them nationwide on the list). To get on the list they had to prove a deep committment to nursing. ie: RNs are involved in staffing decisions and setting their unit ratios, mandatory ot is not inflicted on them, they have the support staff & equipment they need to do their jobs the right way & without endangering themselves, managers from the top down back them up, there is a zero tolerance for disrespect by others, the culture of the facility values them & shows it. It would be nice to hear from nurses who are working in good hospitals that are on & even not on the list.

Some of the 80 criteria that have to be met before being designated as a top nurses choice facility:

1. Quality of nursing leadership-Knowledgeable, strong nurse leaders are willing to take risks and advocate for their staff.

2. Organizational structure-Nursing departments are decentralized, with unit-based decision-making and strong nurse representation in committees throughout the organization. The nursing leader serves at the executive level of the organization.

3. Management style-Managers involve staff at all levels of the organization. Nurse leaders make an effort to communicate with staff, and staff members feel their opinions are heard and valued by management. Participatory management styles.

4. Personnel policies and programs-Salaries and benefits are competitive. Creative and flexible staffing, with staff involvement. Many opportunities for promotion, both in clinical and administrative areas.

5. Professional models of care-Nurses have responsibility, accountability and authority in their patient care. They coordinate their own care with support and proper resources from the organization.

6. Quality of care-Nurses believe that they are giving high-quality care to their patients, and that their organization sees high-quality care as a priority.

7. Quality improvement-Staff nurses participate in the quality improvement process and believe that it helps improve patient care within the organization.

8. Consultation and resources-Consultation, including advanced practice nurses and peer support, is available and used.

9. Autonomy-Nurses are allowed and expected to work autonomously, consistent with professional standards as members of a multidisciplinary team.

10. Community and the hospital-Hospitals maintain a strong community presence that includes a variety of long-term outreach programs.

11. Nurses as teachers-Nurses teach in all aspects of their practice.

12. Image of nursing-Nurses are seen as essential to the hospital's delivery of patient care. Hospital culture values nurses

13. Interdisciplinary relationships-Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, management, and all other members of the health care disciplines treat each other with respect.

14. Professional development-Organizations emphasize orientation, inservice education, continuing education, formal education and career development.

about what its like for RNs and others to work at these facilities:

The Rules of Attraction - turning their workplaces into RN havens http://www.nurseweek.com/news/features/02-10/magnet.asp

Nursing Magnets: Attracting Nurses and Making It Stick

http://nursingworld.org/ajn/2002/feb/issues.htm

to scroll the list of top hospital choices of RNs, see:

http://nursingworld.org/ancc/magnet/Magnet2.htm

(Hospitals in NJ made the list more than any other state's)

Sleepyeyes · Dec 9, 2002

Thanks jt!

What I actually had in mind, was a list of hospitals that nurses believed patients got the best care in, not the best places for nurses to work.

But since there already is a list, thanks. :)

-jt · Dec 9, 2002

Same thing!! Hospitals that RNs have found to be the best places to work have less RN turnover, greater staff satisfaction, better RN staffing, RN autonomy, supportive nursing leadership, higher level of involvement of RNs in hospital policy and decision making - especially in all matters that relate to the pt and pt care. The pt benefits from of all that and these kinds of hospitals proved to have BETTER PATIENT OUTCOMES because of it. As for the hospitals on the top choice list, to get there they had to prove a committment to nurses as well as meet criteria for high quality patient care, high quality assurance, QI, and tracking of pt outcomes influenced by nursing.

The whole point is that the places where pts will get the best care are going to be the same places that RNs believe are the best places to work. RNs flock to hospitals that have positive work environment and conditions -- some of those even have waiting lists of RNs who want jobs there. The proven result of their increased RN involvement in policy & decision making & their better RN staffing is quality pt care.

If its a place that RNs find is a great place to work, its going to be a place where pts get the best care. The reason to improve working conditions for nurses & attract more of them with a better place to work is to improve pt care. The two go hand in hand.

There must be some hospitals out there doing it right but that havent made it onto the list yet. Its too depressing to think that in the entire country there are only about 60 facilities that are doing everything right.

2banurse · Dec 21, 2002

Having worked in both NSUH in Manhasset and LIJ as a medical secretary, I can that it is definitely true. I have enjoyed working in both of these hospitals very much. If I should ever decide to move back home, I would look into both of these hospitals.

Kris