Two years of dedicated effort culminated in exciting news on Jan. 12, 2004: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics had become the first hospital in Iowa-and the 101st nationwide-to receive the Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence.

To achieve "Magnet Hospital" designation, the Department of Nursing Services and Patient Care had to present written evidence of nursing excellence in 65 criteria related to the 14 standards of nursing practice and performance set by the American Nursing Association (ANA). This rigorous written review was followed by a two-day site visit by Magnet Hospital appraisers, who talked with not only a majority of nursing staff but also with physicians and patients.

The Magnet Hospital Award was presented by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the ANA. In achieving the award, UI Hospitals and Clinics has proven that:

• Its patient outcomes are better
• Average lengths of stay are shorter
• Rates of patient satisfaction are higher

The award signals that the working environment for nurses contributes to their professional success and that the hospital's nurses are recognized internationally by their peers.

Featured here are a representative handful of nurses whose professional experience illustrates how UI Hospitals and Clinics provides a challenging, rewarding environment ... a place where innovative nursing practice is reinforced by research and evidence-based learning. Their stories capture the essence of what it means to be a Magnet nurse at a Magnet hospital.

Magnet Profiles