Huntington Hospital is the first in Suffolk County to win the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence. This designation, conferred by the American Nurses Association Credentialing Committee, indicates that a hospital meets the highest national standards for professional nursing practice.

“This achievement validates the outstanding quality of nursing care delivered at this hospital,” commented Myrna Myers-Laque, RN, EdD, Vice President for Nursing.

Magnet status indicates that a hospital provides an organizational structure that emphasizes the important role of nursing as a key element of the healthcare team. The process of achieving Magnet status is rigorous and includes the submission of five volumes of documentation and an intensive three-day site survey.

There are 14 standards that must be met prior to the achievement of Magnet status. Among the areas that are emphasized are nursing education and professional certification, organizational structure and management style, and quality of care.

Diane Peyser, RN, Director of Staff Development, oversaw the monumental task of coordinating Huntington Hospital’s application, a process that she describes as a “two-year journey.”

At the outset, a committee of 14 “Standard Leaders” was recruited to help document that Huntington met each of the ANCC’s standards required for Magnet certification. In addition, a team of nurses known as “Magnet Motivators” was assembled to facilitate communication about the Magnet process to the hospital’s 950 Nursing Department staff members.

“Our staff believed that we were a Magnet Nursing Department, felt that we should apply for this designation, and were eager to do their part to help,” said Ms. Peyser. “Our nurses are passionate about the quality of patient care we provide.”

While the Magnet Award is specifically focused on Nursing, both Ms. Myers-Laque and Ms. Peyser affirmed that the entire hospital staff played a vital supportive role in achieving this honor.

“We relied on other departments to support us throughout this process,” Ms. Peyser said. “Every employee who got involved was as enthusiastic and eager as we were. Clearly this is an organization that puts patient care at the heart of everything we do.”

Ms. Myers-Laque emphasized that the 14 Magnet standards, also known as “forces of magnetism,” have for many years been the basis for the practice of nursing at Huntington Hospital.

“We can be very proud of this accomplishment, not just because of the Magnet Award, but because these standards have always been the underpinning of our philosophy of nursing here at Huntington,” she said.

Huntington Hospital is only the third Long Island hospital to achieve this honor; the other two are its sister hospitals, North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Only six hospitals in New York State are Magnet certified, and only 110 hospitals in the country have achieved this honor.