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Sanford Bismarck receives Magnet® recognition

(Bismarck, ND—The Bismarck region of Sanford Health has again achieved Magnet® recognition as part of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®, positioning the institution in the top 1 percent of facilities nationwide for nursing excellence. The Bismarck region, which includes clinics in Bismarck, Mandan, Minot and Dickinson, is the only Magnet-designated health care institution in North Dakota.

Bestowed every four years, the Magnet Recognition Program’s distinction is the highest honor an organization can receive for professional-nursing practice. Magnet recognition is often considered when the public judges health care organizations. Just 395 of the United States’ nearly 6,000 facilities attained Magnet® status for this cycle.

“Magnet re-designation reflects the high quality of care that is consistently delivered here every day by our staff,” said Jan Kamphuis, executive vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer of the Bismarck region of Sanford Health. “It truly is reflective of their commitment to our patients.”

The Bismarck region of Sanford Health passed a rigorous and lengthy process that demanded widespread participation from leadership and staff. The facility was also required to submit written documentation demonstrating qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding patient care and outcomes, which, when deemed to be at an excellent level, prompted an on-site review. The Commission on Magnet then voted to grant recognition.

Because the Bismarck region of Sanford Health was a Magnet recipient in 2008, it was required to provide how Magnet concepts, performance and quality were sustained and improved over the past four years.

The Magnet model is designed to provide framework for nursing practice and research and measurement of outcomes. Elements like quality of nursing leadership and coordination, collaboration across specialties and processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care were considered for selection.

“As the only Magnet-designated health care institution in North Dakota, we are very proud of the high level of care our nurses and nursing leadership provide each and every day to patients,” said Craig Lambrecht, MD, president of the Bismarck region of Sanford Health. “I praise them for an extraordinary job well done.”

Magnet recognition has been shown to provide specific benefits to hospitals and their communities:

• Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help, and receipt of discharge information;[1]
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue;[2]
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses;[3] and
• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave position.[4]

About Sanford Health
Sanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in the Dakotas and is now the largest, rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation with locations in 126 communities in seven states. In addition, Sanford Health is in the process of developing international clinics in Ireland, Ghana, Israel and Mexico.

Sanford Health includes 35 hospitals, 140 clinic locations and nearly 1,200 physicians in 70 specialty areas of medicine. With more than 25,000 employees, Sanford Health is the largest employer in North and South Dakota. The system is experiencing dynamic growth and development in conjunction with Denny Sanford's nearly $700 million in gifts, the largest ever to a health care organization in America. These gifts are making possible the implementation of several initiatives including global children's clinics, multiple research centers and finding cures for type 1 diabetes and breast cancer. For more information, please visit bismarck.sanfordhealth.org.

About American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®
The Magnet Recognition Program® administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world, recognizes 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 nursecredentialing.org/magnet.

[1] Kutney-Lee, A., McHugh, M. D., Sloane, D. M., Cimiotti, J. P., Flynn, L., Neff, D. F., Aiken, L. H. (2009). Nursing: A key to patient satisfaction. Health Affairs 28(4): 669-77.
[1] Aiken, L. H., Clarke, S. P., Sloane, D. M., Lake, E. T., Cheney, T. (2008). Effects of hospital care environment on patient mortality and nurse outcomes. Journal of Nursing Administration 38(5): 223-229; Friese, C. R., Lake, E. T., Aiken, L. H., Silber, J. H., Sochalski, J. (2008). Hospital nurse practice environments and outcomes for surgical oncology patients. Health Services Research 43(4): 1145-1163.
[1] Lacey, S. R., Cox, K. S., Lorfing, K. C., Teasley, S. L., Carroll, C. A., Sexton, K. (2007). Nursing support, workload, and intent to stay in Magnet, Magnet-aspiring, and non-Magnet hospitals. Journal of Nursing Administration 37(4): 199-205l; Schmalenberg, C., Kramer, M. (2008). Essentials of a productive nurse work environment. Nursing Research 57(1): 2-13; Ulrich, B. T., Buerhaus, P. I., Donelan, K., Norman, L., Dittus, R. (2007). Magnet status and registered nurse views of the work environment and nursing as a career. Journal of Nursing Administration 37(5): 212-220; Ulrich, B. T., Woods, D., Hart, K. A., Lavandero, R., Leggett, J., Taylor, D. (2007). Critical care nurses’ work environments: Value of excellence in Beacon units and Magnet organizations. Critical Care Nurse 27(3): 68-77.
[1] Ulrich, B. T., Buerhaus, P. I., Donelan, K., Norman, L., Dittus, R. (2007). Magnet status and registered nurse views of the work environment and nursing as a career. Journal of Nursing Administration 37(5): 212-220.

About Sanford Health
Sanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in the Dakotas and is now the largest, rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation with locations in 126 communities in eight states. In addition, Sanford Health is in the process of developing international clinics in Ghana, Israel and Mexico.

Sanford Health includes 35 hospitals, 140 clinic locations and 1,360 physicians in 81 specialty areas of medicine. With more than 26,000 employees, Sanford Health is the largest employer in North and South Dakota. The system is experiencing dynamic growth and development in conjunction with Denny Sanford's nearly $700 million in gifts, the largest ever to a health care organization in America. These gifts are making possible the implementation of several initiatives including global children's clinics, multiple research centers and finding cures for type 1 diabetes and breast cancer. For more information, please visit sanfordhealth.org.