The Mount Sinai Hospital has received national recognition for excellence in nursing for the third consecutive time from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. At the same time, Mount Sinai Queens, the Queens campus of The Mount Sinai Hospital, received a first-time Magnet® designation, widely considered the highest recognition for nursing excellence.
“Only 8 percent of hospitals in the nation receive a Magnet designation, and fewer than 2 percent are redesignated for a third time,” Kenneth L. Davis, MD, Chief Executive Officer and President, Mount Sinai Health System, told a celebratory audience of nurses at Stern Auditorium on Wednesday, September 10. “That is a great tribute to all of you. It signifies a culture of excellence that is central to how we serve our community.”
Carol Porter, DNP, RN, FAAN, the Edgar M. Cullman, Sr. Chair of the Department of Nursing, and Chief Nursing Officer/Senior Vice President of Nursing at The Mount Sinai Hospital, opened the ceremony. “Nurses at Mount Sinai, over and over again, you are recognized among the best nurses in the country. Your spirit is amazing, and I am proud to be your Chief Nursing Officer,” she told a cheering crowd. She also read a congratulatory message from Judith Shamian, PhD, RN, President of the International Council of Nurses.
To achieve Magnet recognition, both hospitals were evaluated on-site by a team of four Magnet appraisers during a five-day period in June. They conducted 71 hour-long unit tours and reviews, and 45 focus-group interview sessions, and met with more than 28 nursing and 25 physician leaders, among other activities. Separately, they also evaluated 4,700 pages of nursing data. Geralyn McDonough, MA, BSN, RN, served as the Mount Sinai Magnet Program Director for both hospitals and worked with the Magnet appraiser team to coordinate the survey activities.
In an Executive Summary following the appraisal, the surveyors pointed to several key areas of excellence: strong collaborative relationships between Nursing, and hospital and medical staff; robust educational and research programs; and an everyday commitment to patient care. Also singled out was Mount Sinai’s focus on patient care during Superstorm Sandy in 2012: “The response of nursing leaders and the entire organization in putting patients first was extraordinary,” they said.
David L. Reich, MD, President of The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens, congratulated the nurses at both hospitals, and cited their spirit to succeed, as well as many months of dedicated preparation. “It was truly amazing to watch great teams come together to make this a reality. When the appraisers came, they loved Mount Sinai. Give yourself a huge round of applause,” he told the boisterous audience members, who clapped and lifted up a sign that said: “Got Magnet!”
Also participating in the ceremony were Kathleen Scher, EdD, RN, Vice President of Nursing, Mount Sinai Queens; and Joyce Fitzpatrick, PhD, RN, FAAN, Adjunct Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Professor of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University. “I am humbled by your knowledge, skills, passion, compassion, teamwork, and respect,” said Dr. Fitzpatrick.
The program also featured speeches by two clinical nurses: Patricia McPhoy, MSN, RN-BC, Emergency Department, Mount Sinai Queens campus; and Kenneth Gyan, BSN, RN, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, The Mount Sinai Hospital. “This represents our commitment to excellence in nursing care,” Ms. McPhoy said about the first-time designation. Mr. Gyan summed up the experience of a repeat designation. “Our deepest joy is being a Magnet nurse,” he told the audience.