North Dakota: Why Nurses should care about Magnet Hospitals
Higher Education Articles November 9, 2013North Dakota: A Brief Overview of Nurses and Hospitals
In North Dakota, residents can choose from 41 hospitals operating within the state. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s State Health Facts, these hospitals employ 35,420 healthcare workers. The State Health Facts also indicate that approximately 8,960 of these workers are registered nurses. This means that there are approximately 1,310 registered nurses for every 100,000 residents of North Dakota.
North Dakota also employs 475 nurse practitioners. In this state, nurse practitioners can diagnose patients, offer treatment and prescribe medications without the involvement of a licensed physician.
North Dakota hospitals spend an average of $1,342 for every day of inpatient care.
What’s a Magnet Hospital and Why Should Nurses Care?
The American Nurses Credential Center, or ANCC, began recognizing certain healthcare facilities as Magnet Hospitals in 1990. A Magnet Hospital is a facility that has proven its commitment to providing nurses with a positive employment experience and improving the quality of patient care. The purpose of the “Magnet Hospital” designation is to provide nurses with a method for finding the best hospitals to work for, as well as help patients find hospitals known for high quality patient care. At the time of publication, only 395 hospitals in the United States have been honored with a designation as Magnet Hospitals from the ANCC.
“Magnet hospitals consistently provide the highest quality of care.”- K. Bensing, University of Pennsylvania.
If a hospital is designated as a Magnet Hospital, it can be expected to:
•Attract and retain some of the best practicing nurses in the state
•Be committed to advanced nursing practice
•Encourage medical professionals to work collaboratively
Characteristics of Magnet Hospitals
To be recognized as a North Dakota Magnet Hospital, facilities must create a plan to provide a positive working environment for all employed nurses. They must also implement this plan effectively, allowing it to become an integral part of the hospital culture. The ANCC reviews the following characteristics before granting a Magnet Hospital designation:
•Level of nurse involvement in educational activities, both within the community and the organization
•Level of nurse autonomy
•Quality of patient care/typical patient outcomes
•Frequency of professional development offerings for nurses
•Nursing leadership
•Number of BSN or MSN degrees among nurses
•Percentage of decision-making nurses with advanced degrees
•RN turnover rate
•Average length of RN employment
What does the Magnet Hospital Designation Mean to Nurses
Hospitals that receive a North Dakota Magnet Hospital designation possess the following characteristics:
•High levels of job satisfaction
•Recognition and rewards available to competent employees
•Ample leadership and professional development opportunities
•A culture of autonomy and interdisciplinary teamwork
•High levels of professional collaboration
•Continuing education opportunities
•Low vacancy/turnover rates within the workforce
•Dedication to patient outcome improvement
North Dakota: Magnet Hospitals
The number of hospitals in North Dakota is significantly lower than the national average. As a result, North Dakota has only one hospital that has received recognition from the ANCC as a Magnet Hospital:
Medcenter One
Medcenter One
Address: 300 North Seventh Street
Bismarck, ND 58501
Recognized: 2008
