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Monday, January 23, 2023
AHN’s West Penn Hospital Achieves Fourth Magnet® Designation for Nursing Excellence
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) West Penn Hospital is celebrating the formal announcement of its fourth consecutive Magnet® designation for nursing excellence, including delivery of the superior quality care and dedication of nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® recognizes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence and is the highest international honor for professional nursing practice.
Receiving Magnet designation is a remarkable achievement for AHN West Penn, especially for a fourth time, as it places the hospital among a select group of health care organizations and hospitals in the U.S. West Penn was the first hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania to earn the Magnet designation in 2006.
“A fourth Magnet designation is a tremendous honor and reflects the commitment to nursing excellence of all the nurses of West Penn Hospital and the interdisciplinary team in their quest to consistently deliver high quality, compassionate care,” said Claire Zangerle, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN, Chief Nursing Executive for AHN. “By ensuring patients remain the focus of nursing practice, the nurses of West Penn Hospital are creating the best possible patient experiences and outcomes and serving as pillars of the Living Health model and culture that we are advancing to transform health care in our community.”
Research demonstrates that Magnet designation offers specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, including:
- A better patient experience relative to nurse communication and transitions of care.
- Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.
- Significantly higher job satisfaction among nurses and decreased incidents of nurses reporting intent to leave their positions.
Magnet designation is the gold standard for nursing excellence. It is a contributing factor when the public assesses the quality of health care organizations in Specific U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals.” AHN West Penn is one of 39 Magnet organizations in Pennsylvania.
“As a Magnet designated organization, nurse leaders and staff consistently focus on executing best practices that outperform national benchmarks, demonstrating transformational leadership, and promoting a culture of safety and collaboration,” shared Angela Costa, MPM, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer of West Penn Hospital. “This fourth consecutive recognition underscores the foundation of excellence and values upheld each day by West Penn nurses while they constantly strive to create a remarkable healthcare experience for our patients.”
To remain current, health care organizations are required to reapply for Magnet designation every four years ensuring adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality.
“The nurses at West Penn Hospital are an extraordinary group of skilled, caring individuals who have maintained the highest level of professionalism even during extremely challenging times over the past few years,” said Brian Johnson, MD, President of West Penn Hospital. “We are proud of their leadership and this outstanding accomplishment, and we are immensely grateful for the difference they make in the lives of our patients and their families.”
AHN West Penn Hospital is a 356 all private bed facility that has served Bloomfield and its surrounding communities since 1848, approaching its 175th birthday in March of 2023. The hospital offers a wide range of specialized services that draw patients throughout the tri-state area and is home base for AHN’s Women’s Institute, Bariatric Institute, Autoimmunity Institute, Esophageal and Lung Institute, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center, Bone Marrow and Cell Transplantation Program and Burn Treatment Center, among other services.
AHN Saint Vincent hospital in Erie was also named a Magnet hospital in 2022, along with AHN Jefferson hospital in 2021.
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About ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program
The Magnet Recognition Program — administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world — identifies health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice.
The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit www.nursingworld.org/magnet.