Magnet - What Do You Think?

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

I work at a Magnet hospital. I pretty much think it's B.S. It's an OK place to work as a nurse but nothing special. We just had our Magnet re-certification visit. I worked the night shift before they came. As unit charge I was instructed to over staff the unit for their visit. All all the units in the hospital did the same. We where instructed on what we should say to the Magnet people if they talked to us.

I have worked at other hospitals, both Magnet and non Magnet. I couldn't tell by the way the nurses where treated whether the hospital was Magnet or not. The only way I could tell is by looking at their web site. The one truly outstanding hospital I have worked at, in terms of how nurses are treated and compensated was not a Magnet hospital.

I have noticed that there is a lot of cynical comments from my coworkers about Magnet.

What do you guys think? Are you as nurses treated better at a Magnet hospital?

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I've never worked at a Magnet hospital, but the hospitals in my area that are Magnet--the nurses are VERY happy with! I'm sure that it depends on where you work. The overstaffing and scripting though sounds like standard BS that occurs everywhere before all of the standard Magnet or JCAHO surveys...and I think it's crap, I think that the surveyors should pretend to be patients that are admitted into the hospital, and then they would see what life is really like on the units--understaffed, and chaotic!

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

I've never worked at a Magnet hospital, but the hospitals in my area that are Magnet--the nurses are VERY happy with!

*** I wonder how happy the nurses at those hospitals where before they got magnet certification? Where they great places to work who got Magnet or did the process of becomeing Magnet have something to do with it?

I'm sure that it depends on where you work.

*** Sure but I thought that the idea behind certification was that you could tell something about that work place by the certification. Other wise, if it just depends on where you work what is the point?

I think that the surveyors should pretend to be patients that are admitted into the hospital, and then they would see what life is really like on the units--understaffed, and chaotic

*** Now THAT would be an enlightening experience for them.

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Neuro-surgery/Med-Surgical/.

Yeah, the hospital I currently work at makes a big deal about being Magnet. They will over staff when the surveyors arrive, as well as coach the RNs on what to say; 'these are the questions they will ask, and here is how we want you to respond,ok?' ugh.

So they disguise the unit with being well staffed (never happens) as well and encourage us to lie. This is not a true picture of our hospital, and yet they will get rewarded with the stupid certification. What a joke.:madface:

I think it would be a BRILLIANT idea to have these surveyors disguised as patients for part of the survey. Bravo!

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Specializes in EMT-P.

But how would you keep the patients from sticking to the ceilings when using the bedpans? Now who took my stethoscope?

Magnet, get it. er um...:clown:

Okay, sounded funnier in my own mind...

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

No I don't think we are treated better, the money isn't better and our staffing is pretty sad, imo.

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Specializes in Clinicals in Med-Surg., OB, CCU, ICU.

Magnet status, when I first heard of the concept, reminded me how businesses and industry have attempted to reinvent themselves or gain a competitive edge upon the rest of the competition. The hospitals have done a 180 and decided to present themselves as a business (patients are actually guest now.) Let's face it, the Magnet status would go to the hospitals who would be able to draw upon the top people and resources. It most likely would go towards the hospitals in the large cities and those with medical university affiliation. It would go towards hospitals which have additional money (and they don't know what to do with it.) The business and industry have there own national recognized certifications. I am pretty sure these certification cost money to apply for, and the establishments which present these certifications has "dollar $$$$" in their eyes. Some of the individuals who work for these companies, likely see the BS and great humor in it. I personally do not see the validity in it. I believe the smaller hospitals that demonstrate excellent patient care are simply glossed over. Rather than spend the money on the Magnet certifiction, they are in need of using the money else-wheres. :smokin:

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Yeah, the hospital I currently work at makes a big deal about being Magnet. They will over staff when the surveyors arrive, as well as coach the RNs on what to say; 'these are the questions they will ask, and here is how we want you to respond,ok?' ugh.

So they disguise the unit with being well staffed (never happens) as well and encourage us to lie. This is not a true picture of our hospital, and yet they will get rewarded with the stupid certification. What a joke.:madface:

I think it would be a BRILLIANT idea to have these surveyors disguised as patients for part of the survey. Bravo!

Ha! Saw this in clinicals. Funny that at the end of report it was all about "what to say" because it was a count down to a magnet visit (Does anyone know who the director of such and such is? What is our mission statement?). One hospital in the area decided to do magnet, and of course, now the others have to as well.... all the little poster session projects hung up in the break room (LOL). Looked like 4-H or girlscouts or something. It's not like the nurses didn't already have too much to do.

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Specializes in medical.
Yeah, the hospital I currently work at makes a big deal about being Magnet. They will over staff when the surveyors arrive, as well as coach the RNs on what to say; 'these are the questions they will ask, and here is how we want you to respond,ok?' ugh.

So they disguise the unit with being well staffed (never happens) as well and encourage us to lie. This is not a true picture of our hospital, and yet they will get rewarded with the stupid certification. What a joke.:madface:

I think it would be a BRILLIANT idea to have these surveyors disguised as patients for part of the survey. Bravo!

The same happened in my hospital few years ago. They overstaffed every unit , chose and coached specific nurses what to say. Bunch of B.S. But the good thing was, we didn't get Magnet, and I think rightfully so. Our hospital is poorly managed, short staffed and has a lot of things to be worked on before it even thinks again to apply for Magnet. I know nurses in Magnet hospitals and apparently it is somewhat better, but you know nursing is nursing and even Magnet status won't help much here to ease the stress, responsibility ....

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

I've worked at a few magnet hospitals and have come to the conclusion you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still going to say "Oink".

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Depends on management, bottom line.

I work in a magnet hospital, and we follow the magnet rules. And generally, they're sincere. My BS radar is pretty good, so if I had to, I'd call them on it.

So far, it hasn't been necessary.

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
Depends on management, bottom line.

I work in a magnet hospital, and we follow the magnet rules. And generally, they're sincere. My BS radar is pretty good, so if I had to, I'd call them on it.

So far, it hasn't been necessary.

Similar experience, here. I haven't noticed life improving dramatically after magnet status, but it really wasn't so terrible before, either. I've said it before, if it was all fun, all the time, we'd have to pay to be there, and I'm not holding my breath to see the suits put their high-paying, cushy jobs on the line for the sake of us grunts. I guess I'd say I'm pretty satisfied, in part because my expectations aren't too high. Then, again, my employers might be saying much the same about me...

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