Torrance Memorial Medical Center attained Magnet recognition again in August,
a testament to its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program®
distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for
nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for
professional nursing practice.
Receiving Magnet recognition for the second time is a great achievement
for Torrance Memorial, as it continues to proudly belong to the global
community of Magnet-recognized organizations. Just 442 U.S. health care
organizations out of over 6,300 U.S. hospitals have achieved Magnet recognition.
Just 30 health care organizations in California have achieved this credential.
“Magnet recognition is a tremendous honor and reflects our commitment
to delivering the highest quality of care to this community,” said
Peggy Berwald, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president Patient Care Services
and chief nursing officer. “To earn Magnet recognition once was
a great accomplishment and an incredible source of pride for our nurses.
Our repeated achievement of this credential underscores the foundation
of excellence and values that drive our entire staff to strive harder
each day to meet the health care needs of the people we serve.”
Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and 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.
“We’re a better organization today because of the Magnet recognition
we first achieved four years ago,” said Berwald. “Magnet recognition
raised the bar for patient care and inspired every member of our team
to achieve excellence every day. It is this commitment to providing our
community with high-quality care that helped us become a Magnet-recognized
organization, and it’s why we continue to pursue and maintain Magnet
recognition.”
The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and
measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants
across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s
nursing excellence.
The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential
to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing
leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well
as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.
To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous
and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership
and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient
care documentation, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on
Magnet Recognition.
Health care organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four
years based on adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements
in patient care and quality. An organization reapplying for Magnet recognition
must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members sustained
and improved Magnet concepts, performance and quality over the four-year
period since the organization received its initial recognition.