Posted 28 February 2017 - 09:00
Posted 28 February 2017 - 09:00
News
Trust applies to have nursing and midwifery standards internationally recognised
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is applying to be accredited with Magnet status, which recognises quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing and midwifery practice.
An NHS Trust is applying to have its nursing and midwifery standards internationally recognised.
quality care and innovations in practice.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) is aiming to be one of the only hospitals in the UK to achieve Magnet status through the American Nurses Credentialing Centre (ANCC).
The Magnet Recognition Program recognises care organisations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing and midwifery practice.
To obtain the award, NUH will need to satisfy a set of criteria designed to measure the strength and quality of nursing over a two-year period. Once accredited, Magnet status lasts for four years and must be renewed or it will lapse.
World-class care
The initial application and appraisal process for Magnet status can cost in excess of £50,000.
NUH chief nurse Mandie Sunderland said: ‘This is an exciting time for NUH. Nearly 50% of our workforce is made up by nurses and midwives and this award will enable us to be recognised for the world-class care we provide.’
King’s College London professor of nursing policy Anne Marie Rafferty praised the NUH application.
Professor Rafferty was one of the researchers who evaluated Rochdale Infirmary in Lancashire after it was awarded the first Magnet status in the UK in 2002, although, following a merger with another trust, it was not renewed.
Concerns raised
She said: ‘The Magnet accreditation methodology is a well validated, evidence-based approach to achieving better outcomes for patients, the organisation and nurses. It is very encouraging to see this happening and hopefully others will wish to follow.’
However, the RCN raised concerns about UK organisations applying for Magnet accreditation in a 2015 policy paper, which stated that Magnet has been ‘profoundly shaped by the dynamics of a private, market-orientated health system’ in the US compared to the UK.
The college added that the adoption of any Magnet approach ‘will need to evidence viable, measurable outcomes in order to justify the significant financial cost for achieving and sustaining this type of award’.
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