The School of Nursing Hosts Display of VCUHS Magnet Obelisk
The VCU School of Nursing received the Magnet Obelisk from the VCU Health System on Monday, April 21 to display for two weeks as part of a hand-off tradition. VCU Health System first earned the four-year Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 2006, becoming the first hospital in the Richmond area to do so. The hospital earned re-designation status in 2011.
“The Magnet designation drives positive patient outcomes and sets up the best environment for nurses to excel in,” said Lynn Goodloe (B.S. ’86/N, M.S. ’01/N, Cert ’07/N), director of professional practice for the VCU Health System. “My journey as a nurse began here at the School of Nursing and the school continues to support its students as they forge their paths in health care.”
The Magnet designation represents the highest international credential a health care organization can receive for nursing excellence and quality patient care. Since February 2011, as part of a tradition to honor this distinction and recognize the collaborative efforts that make up the VCU health care team, units at the VCU Medical Center rotate keeping the Magnet Obelisk for two weeks and the School of Nursing is included in this celebration.
“The journey to Magnet recognition would have been very difficult without the hospital’s alignment with the School of Nursing,” said Crystal Crewe, interim manager for supplemental staffing at the VCU Health System.
To symbolically express that the future of health care is in the hands of today’s nursing students, Ann Hamric, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, professor and associate dean of academic programs, asked members of the Dean’s Student Leadership Council to accept the Magnet Obelisk on behalf of the School of Nursing.
“Being able to study in a Magnet hospital makes for better outcomes for our students,” said Hamric. “Our students are fortunate to have this kind of professional environment.”
The Magnet Obelisk and Magnet Recognition plaque were placed in the school’s Heritage Room where they may be viewed over the next two weeks before being rotated to another department at the VCU Medical Center.
