Inside Duke Medicine

Durham Regional gets ‘Magnet’ designation

Durham Regional Hospital (DRH) has achieved Magnet designation for excellence in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Only 5 percent of the nation’s hospitals have earned the designation, which is intended to recognize hospitals that provide the highest level of nursing care.

“Durham Regional nurses provide exceptional care every day to hundreds of patients,” said Kerry Watson, DRH chief executive officer. “It is an honor Durham Regional has been selected to join this elite group of nursing organizations that provide superior care.”

The recognition is the result of a three-year application and evaluation process that included interviews with more than 500 nurses, physicians and staff, as well as examination of nearly 2,200 pages of documentation, said Peggy Baker, Ed.D., R.N.,  DRH’s interim chief nursing and patient care services officer.

“This is the highest honor a U.S. hospital can receive for its nursing program, and it recognizes the innovative, first-rate care patients receive at Durham Regional Hospital and Duke Medicine,” said Victor J. Dzau, M.D., chancellor for health affairs and president and chief executive officer of the Duke University Health System. “Achieving magnet status is a testament to the knowledge and dedication our nurses bring to their profession.”

Before and during the Durham Regional site visit, examiners from ANCC reviewed documentation about patient-to-nurse ratios and evaluated the results of patient satisfaction surveys. In addition, they reviewed the number of nurses certified in specialty areas and advancement in the clinical ladder, and analyzed nurse-led initiatives intended to improve the hospital work environment, Baker said.

One example is the nurse-led initiative designed to increase the efficiency of patient care in the area of intravenous therapy. Durham Regional was the first hospital in North Carolina to implement the process of locating the Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) tip by use of chest X-ray. In this process, nurses interpret the location of the catheter tip.

Magnet designation lasts four years, during which time the ANCC monitors the hospital closely to ensure it maintains high standards of care. Magnet hospitals often are able to attract and retain the best-trained nurses, according to ANCC information about the Magnet Recognition Program.

“Being designated a Magnet organization is recognition for the teamwork of not only the nurses, but also our physicians, staff and volunteers who care for our patients and families,” said Baker. “The award isn’t just for nursing—it’s for the entire hospital.”

Attaining Magnet recognition will allow Durham Regional to maintain and grow its already strong base of registered and certified nurses, said Baker. “We expect that recognition of the high quality environment in which nurses practice at Durham Regional will attract even more qualified nurses to positions at our hospital.”

The ANCC lists four objectives for the program: to recognize hospitals that deliver excellent nursing care to patients, to promote quality in an environment that supports professional nursing practice, to allow for the dissemination of successful nursing practices among health care organizations and to promote positive patient outcomes.

For more information about nursing at Durham Regional Hospital. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program.