Goshen General Hospital earns national recognition for Nursing Excellence

GOSHEN, INDIANA (March 18, 2009) – The nurses at Goshen General Hospital have done it again. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® for excellence in nursing services has once again designated Goshen General Hospital as a Magnet hospital.

"To earn Magnet status once is a tremendous accomplishment," said James O. Dague, President and CEO of Goshen Health System. "To achieve Magnet status for another four years underscores why Goshen Health System is the most unique patient care provider in the region. Our nursing Colleagues are proud of our quality and service to our patients, and we are now recognized, uniquely, among the top 2% nationally."

According to the ANCC, the leading nursing credentialing organization in the United States, Magnet designation is widely accepted as the gold standard of patient care. The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes excellence and professionalism in nursing — and has become to nursing what the Lombardi trophy is to football or the gold medal is to the Olympics.

In 2004, Goshen General Hospital received the distinction on its first try. A distinction awarded to less than six percent of hospitals nation wide, Goshen is the only hospital in the region to achieve it. And, with Magnet re-designation, Goshen is among an elite group of only 2% of hospitals in the nation.

Applicants undergo an extensive evaluation process that can take longer than a year to complete. Members who are awarded Magnet status must maintain rigorous standards as part of their four-year designation. To reapply for, and receive, Magnet status for an additional four years is confirmation of the hospital’s resolve to deliver the highest level of care in nursing today.

“We’re a better institution today because of our Magnet designation four years ago,” said Pam Karsen, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Goshen Health System. “It raised the bar on patient care and inspired all of us – nurses, physicians, professional and support staff – to strive to be even better. That’s what enabled us to become a Magnet facility in the first place, and that’s why we are able to continue to serve as a Magnet hospital today. I am very proud of this nursing staff and am honored to be their leader.”

Designated hospitals have successfully created a work environment that nurses find both personally and professionally rewarding, advancing the practice of nursing and improving patient outcomes. Research shows that Magnet hospitals are more effective at attracting and keeping quality nurses.

At Goshen General Hospital, through the concept of shared governance and unit practice councils, nurses are empowered to use their clinical knowledge and expertise to develop, direct and sustain their own professional practice. Nurses have a voice in determining practice, standards and quality of care.

Goshen’s TUL Gold Standard culture encourages Colleagues to implement and lead change with the goal of exceeding best practices. Every Colleague is considered a leader at Goshen Health System. All Colleagues are empowered to submit ideas, including cost savings ideas that improve efficiency and patient care on a daily basis. In 2008 alone, Colleagues submitted nearly $3 million in cost savings ideas. In over a decade, those savings are in the area of $20 million.

This unique culture, combined with a dedication to excellence, has earned Goshen not only Magnet Recognition, but recognition by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce as one of the “Best Places to Work in Indiana” for the fourth year in a row. Goshen Health System has also recently been ranked the top healthcare organization in the nation for “Overall Job Satisfaction,” by HR Solutions International, Inc., the only firm of its kind endorsed by the American Hospital Association for surveys and other services related to measuring and improving employee engagement and retention.

About Magnet Status:

During the serious nursing shortage of the early 1970s and 80s, the American Academy of Nursing established a Task Force on Nursing Practice in Hospitals. This task force conducted a study of the organizational factors at various hospitals, focusing on those hospitals that were able to maintain a competent nurse workforce during this shortage. The task force wanted to identify and describe variables that created an environment that attracted and retained well-qualified nurses who promoted quality patient, resident or client care.

These 14 characteristics that seem to distinguish “Magnet” organizations from others became known as the “Forces of Magnetism,” which may be thought of as attributes or outcomes that exemplify excellence in nursing.

About Goshen Health System:

Goshen Health System is a not-for-profit provider of health care that includes Goshen General Hospital, The Goshen Center for Cancer Care, Park Home Medical Equipment, PrimeCare Physician Network, Team:Bariatrics, The Retreat Women’s Health Center and Indiana Lakes Managed Care Organization. The health system is an affiliate partner of Clarian Health, which includes Indiana University Hospital, Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis and Riley Hospital for Children. For more information about Goshen Health System, contact Bridget Levitz, Public Relations Coordinator at 574-535-2776 or visit www.goshenhealth.org.