Vandalia Health Charleston Area Medical Center has achieved Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program, the highest national honor for nursing excellence.
Considered the “gold standard” of nursing, Magnet designation is held by only 10% of hospitals nationwide. CAMC stands as the only multi-site Magnet-designated facility in West Virginia.
The designation includes CAMC General Hospital, CAMC Memorial Hospital, CAMC Teays Valley Hospital, CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital and CAMC’s outpatient services.
Nurses gathered for watch parties to hear the announcement live March 20.
“Magnet recognition provides our community with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of patient care,” said Heidi Edwards, CAMC Chief Nursing Officer. “There has never been any question that CAMC nurses are the very BEST! I am thrilled that they now also have the recognition to prove it.”
The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. With this credential, CAMC joins the global community of Magnet-recognized organizations.
Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as:
- Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information
- Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates
- Higher job satisfaction among nurses
- Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions
Magnet recognition is a factor when the public judges health care organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.
Vandalia Health, headquartered in Charleston, is a multi-state health system with locations across West Virginia as well as in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Made up of CAMC Health System, Davis Health System and Mon Health System, Vandalia Health’s 17 hospitals provide a comprehensive variety of services. For more information, visit vandaliahealth.org.
