The Western Pennsylvania Hospital

West Penn First Hospital in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania to Achieve Magnet™ Recognition

Coveted Designation Recognizes Excellence in Nursing Services

On December 7, 2006, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital became the first hospital in Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania to receive prestigious Magnet Recognition status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

An achievement akin to winning an Olympic gold medal, Magnet Recognition for excellence in nursing services has been achieved by only about 6 percent of all healthcare facilities in the nation.

"Being recognized among the nation’s most elite hospitals is truly a tremendous honor, one that required the efforts of all employees, physicians, students and volunteers at West Penn,” said Sherry Zisk, Chief Operating Officer, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital.

The Magnet Recognition Program® was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to recognize healthcare organizations that provide nursing excellence. The program also provides a vehicle for disseminating successful nursing practices and strategies.

Recognizing quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in professional nursing practice, the Magnet Recognition Program® provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive.

When U.S. News & World Report publishes its annual showcase of "America's Best Hospitals", being a Magnet™ facility contributes to the total score for quality of inpatient care. Of the hospitals listed on the exclusive 2007 Honor Roll rankings (July 23, 2007), seven of the top ten were Magnet hospitals.

The Magnet Recognition Program is based on quality indicators and standards of nursing practice as defined in the American Nurses Association's Scope and Standards for Nurse Administrators (2004). The Scope and Standards for Nurse Administrators and other "foundational documents" form the base upon which the Magnet environment is built.

The Magnet designation process includes the appraisal of qualitative factors in nursing that were first identified through research done in 1983.

As demonstrated by the Magnet Model, excellence in nursing is embodied in a professional nursing practice environment characterized by:

• Transformational Leadership
• Structural Empowerment
• Exemplary Practice
• New Knowledge and Innovations

These characteristics result in Exemplary Outcomes of patient care and professional practice.

To learn more:

Excellence in Nursing at West Penn Hospital
American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program