Six Shands Healthcare facilities in Gainesville earned the most prestigious national honor for excellence in nursing last week. Five of the facilities received the honor for the second time.
To earn Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, hospitals must meet the standards of nursing excellence in quality, leadership and research, said Irene Alexaitis, vice president of nursing and patient services of Shands at UF.
Alexaitis said the facilities designated Magnet institutions are Shands at UF Dialysis Center, Shands HomeCare, Shands Rehab Hospital, Shands Florida Surgical Center and Shands at UF. Shands Vista was added as the newest honoree this year.
"I can't say enough how proud I am of them as a team," she said. "They have proven once again that we continue to deliver excellent nursing care."
Hospitals must submit an application to earn the honor every four years. Alexaitis said it is sometimes difficult to earn the award more than once because the credentialing center keeps raising the bar.
"You can't stay stagnant or else you won't get it," she said.
