Magnet hospital

adboehnen · Mar 18, 2005

YES! I work at a Magnet Hospital, and the entire culture of the hospital is different than any other hospital where I have worked. Nurses participate in "Shared Governance," which gives us ownership of new policies and procedures. The hospital also has a linear form of management as opposed to a hierarchy. Administators, the VP, etc. are considered on the same plain as anyone else. They don't get special parking spots, etc. And management is visible, not hidden behind desks, which makes them accountable. The Magnet Hospital that I work for is wonderful for many reasons. We have the highest nurse retention rate in the state too. Most nurses never leave the hospital unless they move to get married, their spouses need to move for work, they retire, etc.

If hospitals with Magnet Status or that are trying to achieve it go for the title without changing their culture, they'll fail. My hospital gives lectures on how to attain Magnet across the country. Unfortunately, many hospitals just want the title without the work. Many give up too b/c they're impatient, and it takes years of work with staff to change morale for the best. Be careful about choosing to work for a Magnet Hospital just b/c of the title. Ask around and see if it's just a title or if it's the real deal! Unfortunately, our society is "title" hungry, and some titles may not mean what they were intended.

tiggerforhim · Mar 19, 2005

Well, I'm working on my second Magnet hospital, and it definitely is and has been a great experience! I know you don't want to badmouth places that are unsatisfactory, but why not state the name of the hospitals which are great places to work? I am very proud to say that I worked at the Mayo Clinic as my first job and loved it to the point that I'm rather homesick for it. My second magnet does not quite measure up to that high standard, but it is a better place than many of the other hospitals around here.

scooterRN52 · Mar 21, 2005

I work at a hospital that is *almost* Magnet. I guess we are almost there, like one step away or something like that.
That's probably true for most hospitals, just weird that the hospital I work for doesn't make any $$!!! Well, at least not as much as they needed to last year....doesn't help they are remodeling a new $700 million hospital....
BUT I do love working for this hospital. Seems like compared to other hospitals, the nurses are all NICER....probably b/c they like working here too!
$$$ probably has a lot to do with it. I would rather work for a hospital that has more $$, better supplies/are always stocked, better ratios, and nurses that enjoy working there.

I do work at a magnet hospital, they have been magnet status since 2000.

Our hospital is one of the nicest places that I have ever worked, I guess that is why I plan on staying there until I retire, The nurses are some of the best I've ever worked with, they enjoy being nurses, we are a self governing team and it works well with the nurses on the clinical ladder. I work on a

specialty unit of surgical and telemetry step down patients. the nursing adminis. is a strong group. We are going to expand our space to accommodate

more inpatients which is what we really need. $$$, grants for research really help. Fortunately our hospital does have plenty of $$$$. :nurse:

allnurses Guide · May 21, 2006

I just want to vent for a second and really didn't want to create a whole new thread when so many threads about Magnet hospitals already exist.

My hospital is currently pursuing Magnet status; is actually in the "home stretch" I guess you could say; they've been working on this for two years and have just recently submitted the "Magnet document", which I guess will be what the ANCC (or whoever it is) will look at and decide if we get Magnet status or not.

I think it's a big load of crap. I miss the days when my hospital was a nice little small town community hospital where you could come to work, do your job and go home. I miss the days when the important thing was your job and your job was, taking care of patients!

Now everything seems to be all about who can join the most committees, who can get CHOSEN to be on the most committees, who can be the most active in their community, who can be the most popular... really I truly feel like i am back in high school and it sucks.

So, not only because I'm tired of the politics where I work, but I'm also tired of Med/Surge... I'm actively pursuing another job. Everyone continue to wish me luck! Thank you.

krisssy · May 22, 2006

The hospital that I work at is currently trying to obtain magnet status. I've only worked at this one hospital and I honestly and truly cannot say that I am any happier now than I was before we started our magnet program. Our nurse to patient ratios certainly are not any better; in fact they are often worse. Before the personnel who wanted to begin the magnet program at our hospital were hired, we actually utilized agency personnel . Now, when we do not have enough nurses to cover shifts, nurses are called on their days/nights off and asked to come in. Yes, we get "premium pay", but y'know, after a long hard, exausting week, you can't pay me ANYTHING to come in on my night off.
Our staffing problem is NOT being addressed; not in any of our "committees", nowhere. Heck, we even had a staffing department at one time, and that dept. was completely eliminated, which I think is terrible. I do NOT feel like it is acceptable to for nurses to have 10 patients apiece and aides to have 14 apiece on night shift, but that's the way it is many nights, here lately. The administration wonders why we are having so many falls.
I have to admit, there are a few good things that have happened at my hospital lately. We have all-computer charting on most of our units, which is GREAT. We have electronic mars. We have an Omnicell for our narcs and stocked meds now. And I do kind of like the clinical ladder, if for no other reason, because it gives me some incentive to achieve different things as a nurse.

When you say you have all computer charting, does that mean that the doctors have to do their orders on the computer too-so we can read them? Krisssy

Home Health Columnist / Guide · May 22, 2006

When you say you have all computer charting, does that mean that the doctors have to do their orders on the computer too-so we can read them?

Yes.