OSF Saint Anthony’s achieves ANCC’s Magnet with Distinction

OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center has received its first-ever Magnet® Recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Most importantly, this recognition comes "with distinction," making OSF Saint Anthony’s the 46^th hospital in the United States to be recognized with this award.

Magnet with Distinction™ recognizes hospitals based on quality patient care and nursing excellence. Fewer than 8% of hospitals in the U.S. have earned Magnet with Distinction status. Additionally, the Magnet with Distinction™ program was created as a special designation to "celebrate hospitals and health care organizations that exceed scoring thresholds required to earn Magnet designation."

Receiving the “Magnet with Distinction” honor is even more impressive in the following ways:

• OSF Saint Anthony’s is one of only 47 hospitals internationally to have earned the "Magnet with Distinction" honor to recognize an "elite level" of performance, according to the ANCC.
   
• OSF Saint Anthony’s is one of only seven hospitals in Illinois to receive “Magnet with Distinction” status, and the only hospital south of Champaign-Urbana to receive this specific designation.
   
• OSF Saint Anthony’s is the only hospital in the greater St. Louis metro area on both sides of the Mississippi River to receive “Magnet with Distinction” status. 

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. 

OSF Saint Anthony’s was lauded as an exemplar in 14 distinct areas of care as being documented by outpacing national standards in the following: 

• Nursing satisfaction from employee satisfaction survey scores
   
• Inpatient nurse sensitive indicators for falls with injury
   
• Inpatient nurse sensitive indicators for hospital-acquired injuries
   
• Inpatient nurse sensitive indicators for catheter associated urinary tract infections
   
• Inpatient nurse sensitive indicators for central line associate blood infection
   
• Ambulatory nurse sensitive quality indicators for emergency department time from arrival to departure
   
• Ambulatory nurse sensitive quality indicators for emergency department to transfer of behavioral health patients
   
• Inpatient patient experience scores for careful listening
   
• Inpatient patient experience scores for patient education
   
• Inpatient patient experience scores for responsiveness
   
• Inpatient patient experience scores for safety
   
• Ambulatory care patient experience scores for pain
   
• Ambulatory care patient experience scores for patient education
   
• Ambulatory care patient experience scores for safety

“We went well above, and we’re raising the bar,” says Charlotte R. Liley, DNP, CNL, director of professional practice and nursing operations. “We couldn't do this without all of the nursing staff being on board and being involved in the care of our patients.” 

Liley credits the hospital’s “professional practice model” and “transformational leadership” as two reasons why this status was achieved. 

Nurses at OSF St. Anthony’s can “practice at the top of their license,” added Lisa Schepers, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. Schepers notes that while Mission Partners (i.e. employees) are celebrating this milestone achievement, they are also already looking ahead to the next application window to maintain the “Magnet with Distinction” status. 

“As soon as you get the designation, the clock starts for your next one,” Schepers says. “It’s every four years. You don’t just get it and keep it. Every four years, we will have to meet the same criteria, and then they do change the criteria. We’re already looking at, what are we doing now, what do we need to add, what do we need to shore up so that we can continue this road?” 

Schepers adds that this recognition should mean a lot to the Riverbend region, as residents can trust OSF St. Anthony’s to take care of them. “Riverbend residents should feel amazing and proud that OSF Saint Anthony’s represents them in their community. Also, they should feel secure in the knowledge that when they come to OSF St. Anthony’s, they are going to get the highest level of care. Their outcomes are going to be better because the nurses are so engaged, and the nurses have demonstrated this high level of performance.” 

The decision to seek and begin work on achieving Magnet status began in 2022. OSF Saint Anthony’s recognition ensures Magnet designation through 2029.

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