Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital achieves Magnet Recognition

Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital in Sandwich, along with Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, has achieved Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes health care organizations that meet its rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.

“Achieving Magnet designation is tangible evidence of our ‘Patients First’ mission and demonstrates we are achieving our promise to deliver world class care to the patients and families of DeKalb County,” said Jay Anderson, president of Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital.

Magnet Recognition is proof of a hard-earned commitment to excellence in health care, delivered by nurses who are supported to be the very best that they can be. Only 9% of all hospitals nationwide have earned Magnet Recognition.

Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital received 10 exemplars, or examples of best practice, in areas that highlight excellence in patient satisfaction and preventing patient harm.

“This moment is a culmination of many years of effort and is also a beginning. It is the first of many destinations on our nursing excellence journey,” said Corinne Haviley, Ph. D., MS, RN, vice president and chief nurse executive at Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital. “We have developed an extraordinary level of teamwork that transcends individual departments, professional disciplines and even the 25 miles that separates our campuses.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet Recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, including higher patient satisfaction, lower mortality risk and higher job satisfaction among nurses.

Magnet Recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence. To achieve Magnet Recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. Delegates from ANCC visited Valley West hospital and Kishwaukee Hospital virtually to tour units and departments and interviewed over 300 nurses, staff, physicians and community members.

“To achieve Magnet Recognition, especially during a pandemic, illustrates our deep-rooted commitment to our community,” Haviley said. “We are proud of our nurses and Northwestern Medicine’s relentless quest to be better.”

For information about Northwestern Medicine, visit news.nm.org/about-northwestern-medicine.html.