Magnet Recognition Program^®—
Certifying excellence in nursing services

Beginning with the first Magnet designee, the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, in 1994, the Magnet Recognition Program^® has bestowed national recognition on health care organizations that demonstrate sustained nursing care excellence. Since 1994, the program has expanded to include organizations from diverse locations and with varied practice settings.

Administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation's largest and foremost nursing credentialing organization, the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program^® continues to recognize health care organizations dedicated to providing excellent nursing care services and monitors each organization's compliance with Magnet Recognition Program^® standards.

The Magnet Recognition Program^® is the highest level of recognition that ANCC can extend to health care organizations. The ANCC Commission on Magnet Recognition oversees the program and works to ensure that the program maintains rigorous standards. Excellence continues to be the primary focus of the Magnet Recognition Program^®. According to the ANCC Commission on Magnet Recognition, the Magnet Recognition Program^® recognizes excellence in:

• the management, philosophy and practices of nursing services
• adherence to national standards for improving the quality of patient care services
• leadership of the nurse administrator in supporting professional practice and continued competence of nurses, and
• understanding and respecting the cultural and ethnic diversity of patients, their significant other, and health care providers.

Our Web site provides complete information about the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program^®. Please feel free to browse it, starting with the "Magnet Recognition Program^®" link above. If you would like more information, call our office in Silver Spring, Maryland, at 301-628-5223. We look forward to working with you!

This page last revised 4/7/2006.