UPMC Community Osteopathic Achieves Magnet® Recognition for Fourth Time

January 18, 2022

HARRISBURG, Pa. — UPMC Community Osteopathic attained the Magnet recognition again, a testament to its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. Granted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®, UPMC Community Osteopathic is receiving the recognition for the fourth time.

A fourth redesignation is an accomplishment realized by less than 2% of hospitals nationwide. The repeated achievement reinforces UPMC’s commitment to nursing excellence. Only 8.9% percent of hospitals nationwide have been granted Magnet status, one of the highest achievements an organization can obtain in professional nursing.

“Magnet recognition is a remarkable honor and reflects our commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to our community,” said Philip Guarneschelli, president of UPMC in Central Pa. “Achievement of this credential underscores the values that drive our entire staff to strive harder each day to meet the health care needs of the people we serve. It’s a great accomplishment and an incredible source of pride for our nurses.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as:

• Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information.
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses.
• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions.

Health care organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. An organization reapplying for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members sustained and improved Magnet concepts, performance and quality over the four-year period since the organization received its most recent recognition.

“Magnet recognition raised the bar for patient care and inspired every member of our team to achieve excellence every day”, said Sandy Winston, MHA, MSN, RN - Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services UPMC Community Osteopathic. “It is this commitment to providing our community with high-quality care that helped us become a Magnet-recognized organization, and it’s why we continue to pursue and maintain Magnet recognition.”

The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across several components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence. Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence.

Other hospitals in the UPMC system that have received Magnet designation include UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC West Shore, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, UPMC Hamot, UPMC Passavant, UPMC Shadyside and UPMC St. Margaret.