   Every organization has its honors and awards to recognize excellence in the field, the pursuit of the highest values, and the attainment of goals to which all others aspire. In nursing, the highest recognition that a hospital or medical center can attain is The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Award — an affirmation that an institution attracts and retains well-qualified nurses, upholds stringent standards for nursing practice, and promotes exceptional patient care. In 1995, Hackensack University Medical Center became only the second institution in the United States (and the first outside of a pilot program) to receive Magnet recognition for excellence in nursing service. In 1999, the medical center underwent a rigorous re-evaluation and site visit and was redesignated for another four-year period — the first medical center in New Jersey to be redesignated by the Magnet program. In 2003, the medical center was again redesignated and today continues its pursuit of excellence every day. To be a Magnet hospital means that a never-ending culture of excellence exists at Hackensack University Medical Center. It is evident in the way we care for patients and their families, recognizing that each patient has individual needs, concerns, and ways of coping with illness. To be a Magnet hospital means that the medical center values the contributions of its nurses and seeks their input in all administrative and patient care decisions. To be a Magnet hospital means that other leading hospitals — such as Massachusetts General Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins Hospital — turn to us for extensive mentoring. Hackensack University Medical Center is proud of its many innovations, technologies, research projects, and medical expertise. But at the top of the list is the entity that often means the most to our patients — unparalleled nursing excellence that makes the medical center stand tall over all others.  |