What Does "Magnet Status" Mean?

In August of 2005 Stamford Hospital was named a recipient of the Magnet™ Award of Excellence in Nursing Services by the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC). This award represents the highest honor a hospital's nursing program can achieve. Fewer than 3% of the nation's hospitals qualify for Magnet™ designation. Stamford Hospital is the only hospital in Fairfield County to attain this status - and one of only three Magnet™ hospitals in the State of Connecticut.

The Magnet Recognition Program^® recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing philosophy and practice, adherence to national standards for improving patient care, leadership and sensitivity to cultural and ethnic diversity. Applicants undergo a rigorous evaluation process that includes extensive interviews and reviews of nursing services, clinical outcomes and patient care. Research shows there are clear benefits to hospitals awarded Magnet™
status and to the communities they serve.

Magnet™-designated hospitals have a recruiting advantage in hiring and retaining nurses, directly affecting the quality of our patient care. Magnet™ Hospitals have lower mortality rates and shorter lengths of stay.  Because quality nursing is one of the most important factors in enlisting high-caliber physicians and specialists, Magnet™ status helps hospitals attract top physicians and medical specialists. Healthcare consumers know that they can feel confidence in the overall quality of a hospital that has achieved the superior level of nursing standards established by the Magnet Recognition
Program^®.