Our Lady of the Lake Celebrates Prestigious Magnet® Designation for Nursing Excellence

BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center announced today it has received the prestigious designation as a Magnet® hospital by American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for the second consecutive time.

The Magnet Recognition Program® identifies healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing and deliver the highest quality of patient care and outcomes. ANCC is the largest and most prominent nursing credentialing organization and has awarded Magnet® status to only the top eight percent of hospitals in the U.S.

"Magnet status represents the highest quality care practiced at the bedside," said Scott Wester, president and chief executive officer of Our Lady of the Lake. "This recognition is the culmination of our continued commitment to nursing excellence and is a proven indicator of better patient outcomes. We are proud to wear this badge of honor and deliver the highest standards of care for the Baton Rouge community and surrounding region."

The Magnet Recognition Program® is based on research that demonstrates how creating a positive professional practice environment for nurses leads to improved outcomes—for both staff and patients. The designation highlights visionary leadership, nursing structure, professional practice, quality improvement, nursing research and how it affects improved care for patients. A Magnet® designation holds many benefits for hospitals, allowing organizations to attract and retain top nurses; improve patient care, safety and satisfaction; foster a collaborative culture; advance nursing standards and practice; and reduce costs.

"Collaboration, caring, and excellence are personified by the Magnet model," said Deborah Ford, RN, MSN, chief nursing executive and vice president of patient care services at Our Lady of the Lake. "Magnet designation is a tremendous honor that identifies Our Lady of the Lake as an institution where nurses grow professionally and are consistently improving the quality of care they provide to patients and families. We care for our patients as we do our own families."  

Applicants undergo a rigorous evaluation that includes extensive interviews and review of nursing services. To earn designation, hospitals must meet stringent standards for quality, patient care, nursing excellence and innovation in professional nursing.

Our Lady of the Lake hosted an on-site re-accreditation visit in June and welcomed four appraisers to its campus. The appraisers visited patient care units and interviewed various groups of personnel to learn more about the organization. Nurses at all levels of practice, physicians and hospital administration leaders were involved in the evaluation process, and a total of 1,700 team members participated in the overall effort. To earn the designation, Our Lady of the Lake had to pass 89 sections of criteria from patient outcomes to nursing job satisfaction, to leadership and structure within the hospital. 

Our Lady of the Lake previously achieved a four-year Magnet® designation in 2010. Earning a re-designation is considered an even more challenging process, requiring a hospital to provide evidence that Magnet® standards have been both met and exceeded during the four-year period since the last designation.

Deborah Zimmerman, DNP, chair of ANCC's Commission on the Magnet Recognition Program^®, commended Our Lady of the Lake for its leadership in nursing and exemplary care. She noted two exemplar areas where Our Lady of the Lake serves as a role model for all magnet organizations including the structures and processes for patient safety and consistently exceeding benchmarks for patient satisfaction.

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office Terrie P. Sterling, RN said, "This designation reflects the quality and superb outcomes of the nursing team at Our Lady of the Lake. It reflects the commitment of every member of the hospital team who works to assure excellence in patient care. Our nursing leadership and clinical nurses embrace the education and research that support relationship-centered and compassionate nursing care, which are key elements in achieving this well-deserved credential."

About Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Our Lady of the Lake is a not-for-profit 800-bed medical center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with more than 6,500 employees committed to building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education.  With a Regional Medical Center, dedicated Children's Hospital, and 300-provider Physician Group, Our Lady of the Lake provides comprehensive healthcare services for common to complex conditions. Our Lady of the Lake is a primary teaching site for graduate medical education programs and is recognized in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency care, stroke, cancer care, minimally-invasive procedures and more.

SOURCE Our Lady of the Lake

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