image: Athena Brown BSN, RN, and Margie Kjellin, MSN, RN, CPHON, NE-BC, Director of Clinical Excellence, celebrate with St. Jude nurses as the Magnet with Distinction is announced by the ANCC.
Credit: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
For a third consecutive term, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has received the prestigious Magnet®️ designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and, for the first time, achieved the Magnet with Distinction™ honor. This elite category is only attained by the top 1% of hospitals in the U.S.
The ANCC Magnet Recognition Program recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing philosophy and practice, leadership and adherence to national standards for improving patient care. Hospitals undergo a rigorous evaluation that includes extensive interviews and review of nursing services, clinical outcomes and patient care.
St. Jude was lauded as an exemplar in 14 distinct areas of care, the most yet for the Memphis-based institution. ANCC evaluators commended St. Jude for clearly investing in the growth and development of its nurses. They observed that, through various support programs and mentoring, more than 90% of St. Jude nurses hold BSN (Bachelor’s) degrees with a specialty certification rate of over 70%.
“Congratulations to St. Jude nurses for attaining our first Magnet Designation with Distinction,” said Sarah Currie, MSN, RNC, NEA-BC, chief nursing executive and senior vice president. “This recognition serves as a testament to the countless contributions of our nurses, in collaboration with other team members, who are committed to providing compassionate and highly specialized, quality care to the patients and families we serve. It is the highlight of my career to lead this remarkable team.”
Two nursing programs that received additional “with Distinction” accolades have improved career development and retention among St. Jude nurses. The Nurse Residency Program supports newly graduated nurses rotating through inpatient and outpatient units as they transition from student to professional, helping St. Jude attain record-low turnover rates among new nurses. The Center of Advanced Practice, a group of 167 nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and physician assistants, achieved the ANCC Advanced Practice Transition to Practice Certification with Distinction.
“The third-time Magnet and first-time ‘with Distinction’ recognitions keep St. Jude firmly in the top echelon for nursing excellence in the United States,” said Ellis Neufeld, MD, PhD, St. Jude clinical director, physician-in-chief and executive vice president. “To be recognized as exemplars in 14 distinct areas of care is extraordinary. Congratulations to nursing leadership and all St. Jude nurses.”
St. Jude was first designated as a Magnet organization in 2015 and redesignated in 2020. Magnet hospitals must provide a bi-annual status report on their progress and must undergo reevaluation every four years to retain the designation.
“St. Jude is setting the standard for patient care thanks largely to our nurses,” said James R. Downing, MD, St. Jude president and CEO. “I am so proud of the work led by Sarah Currie, Ellis Neufeld and the entire St. Jude nursing team. This is another example that speaks to the quality of our clinical teams and the work we're doing to make every day the best day it can possibly be for our patients.”
ANCC, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, is a certification body for nursing board certification and the largest certification body for advanced practice registered nurses in the U.S. ANCC’s nursing board certification program is one of the oldest in the nation.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats, and cures childhood catastrophic diseases. As the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children, St. Jude advances groundbreaking research and shares its discoveries worldwide to accelerate progress in pediatric medicine. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped increase overall childhood cancer survival rates from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 60 years ago. Through collaboration and innovation, St. Jude is working to ensure that children everywhere have access to the best possible care. To learn more, visit stjude.org, read St. Jude Progress, a digital magazine, and follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.