Is the Magnet designation working for bedside nurses?

allnurses Guide · Apr 16, 2008

In the mid 1980's I participated in "self governance" called "Action Council" at my hospital.

We recommended staffing improvements, sufficient O2 flowmeters and to replace broken wall suction cannesters.

We recommended that each room have a sharps container.

None of these was acted on.

Our name made no sense as we were not allowed "action".

We had lost our night shift cafeteria servise for four hours. We did accomplish getting vending machines.

Two years of meetings, agendas, and minutes to get vending machines?

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Apr 16, 2008

Facilities that already have a nice working environment and happy patients don't need to seek the Magnet status, they already have it and know how to maintain that environment. I have worked at two facilities who tried to achieve magnet status, all they did was run the nurses ragged.

It is used as a marketing strategy but only works on a short term basis unless they truly live up to all aspects of the MAGNET STATUS. Nursing retention is usually ignored or non existant. Nurses having a say in improvements is usually superficial, money talks, short term financial resolution is usually chosen over long term financial issues.

CEOs and DONs have a short term life expectancy in most facilities in this category so their goals are within their 4 to 8 year expected employment at that facility.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Apr 16, 2008

I have not worked for a Magnet facility, but I work at a place that failed in their goal to achieve it (and I was grateful). The theatrics is done just to promote false advertising, in my opinion.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Apr 16, 2008

i have not worked for a magnet facility, but i work at a place that failed in their goal to achieve it (and i was grateful). the theatrics is done just to promote false advertising, in my opinion.

i agree completely. my first rn job was at a magnet hospital, and the ratios were terrible, there was no communication between nurse and tech, and the pay was abysmal...the only thing that seemed different was that everyone had the attitude that it was a better facility than any in the world. i think magnet employees can be like the stepford wives sometimes.

jess

Spring152 · Apr 17, 2008

I work for a facility that became Magnet in 2002 and renewed their status in 2006. Staffing is bad, retention is low, especially on my tele unit, and everyone is unhappy. The only time we have great staffing is when the State or JCAHO comes for an inspection. I do not know how many more months I can stay at this facility.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Apr 17, 2008

i agree completely. my first rn job was at a magnet hospital, and the ratios were terrible, there was no communication between nurse and tech, and the pay was abysmal...the only thing that seemed different was that everyone had the attitude that it was a better facility than any in the world. i think magnet employees can be like the stepford wives sometimes.
jess

:lol2: :lol2:i used to also say that we sounded like the stepford wives the way we used to repeat our scripts to say to those fools. i hope they never attempt to apply again.

forrester · Apr 18, 2008

:lol2:I used to also say that we sounded like the Stepford Wives the way we used to repeat our scripts to say to those fools. I hope they never attempt to apply again.

Nursing has a long and not-so-proud history of being stepford wives. We eagerly marched up to capital Hill to support HMO's. We supported TQM, "cost" containment efforts, Magnet status, and a host of administrative efforts relating to increased "efficiency."

When will we wake up and become the healthcare leaders we should be, instead of everyone else's fan club or whipping(girl)????? :uhoh3:

citygrl646 · Apr 18, 2008

I agree with forrester about becoming the leaders we should be-when I told people I was getting a nursing degree their reaction was "you're too passionate, big mouthed, smart, blah blah blah" to be a nurse which obviously means A LOT has to be done to improve the image of nursing-people looked more highly at me when I did journalism even tho many media folk I met were really dumb compared to nursing students who were some of the sharpest.

We're the ones who should take the reigns when it comes to preventive health and screenings.... the way we should keep costs down is by keeping people healthy, getting them OFF nasty unneccesary meds, and reaching out to communities.

NPs give comparable or better care than PCPs according to studies, and we should embrance and define the nursing role-we have a long history of disease PREVENTION....let's get the money away from big pharma pockets and while we're not considered the ones who cure illness, let's not forget we are the ones who can help stop the ilness from happening or progressing in the first place.

ctspargo · Jul 20, 2008

I think the process of working towards Magnet does a lot for bedside nurses. I have worked for both Magnet and non-magnet facilities. I am now working for a hospital in the process of working towards Magnet. I am on the magnet council and we have truly accomplished a lot. I haven't noticed a difference in the ratios.... we have averaged 5-6 at every hospital I have worked for. Of course there is that night when someone calls in sick, but then we'd complain about mandatory overtime if they worried about each nurse getting an extra patient. As professionals, we need to decide does the acuity allow us to take another patient, or do we need to ask someone to stay, or float? We are all there for our patients.

I think the majority of nurses do care about shared governance. Those closest to the bedside should be making the patient care decisions and we have had shared governance at every hospital I have worked for. I definitely think it is worthwhile to work towards this recognition. I know we have made some positive changes in the process.

forrester · Jul 25, 2008

I think the process of working towards Magnet does a lot for bedside nurses. I have worked for both Magnet and non-magnet facilities. I am now working for a hospital in the process of working towards Magnet. I am on the magnet council and we have truly accomplished a lot. I haven't noticed a difference in the ratios.... we have averaged 5-6 at every hospital I have worked for. Of course there is that night when someone calls in sick, but then we'd complain about mandatory overtime if they worried about each nurse getting an extra patient. As professionals, we need to decide does the acuity allow us to take another patient, or do we need to ask someone to stay, or float? We are all there for our patients.
I think the majority of nurses do care about shared governance. Those closest to the bedside should be making the patient care decisions and we have had shared governance at every hospital I have worked for. I definitely think it is worthwhile to work towards this recognition. I know we have made some positive changes in the process.

Still have not heard fgrom many "magnet" nurses directly here.

2nd hand info so far.

The problem with magnet status will be the same problem for many things in life.

Getting it up and keeping it up are 2 different things.

I have heard anecdotally that things go downhill fairly quickly after magnet status is achieved.

Does shared governance really control ratios? Not that I've seen,,,anywhere.

Don't get me wrong. I think its wonderful we can decide on the color of the scrubs we wear.

ctspargo · Jul 25, 2008

I used to work for Duke Medical Center which is magnet. Really, I have worked for 5 different hospitals in the past 15 years and I have never seen any difference in the ratios.... 5-6 on med surg, 3-4 on step down, and 1-2 on ICU. I just don't think Magnet or Shared Governance has an effect on that. I have found the ratios managable. And on the night when you are getting slammed, there is always a nurse with a lighter assignment to help out. From what I have heard, keeping it is almost as difficult as getting it. And so I suspect, it's not that things go downhill after getting it, just possibly reverting back to the "pre-magnet" days. We get very excited creating programs and improving processes. I think it necessary for hopitals who hire Magnet Directors to work on this designation to maintain the position in order to maintain the culture.

What were you saying about the scrub colors?