CHRISTUS Children’s earns highly sought after Magnet recognition for nursing excellence

CHRISTUS Children’s is proud to be recognized again as a Magnet-designated facility for achieving the gold standard in nursing excellence. The hospital first earned this prestigious honor in 2018 and received re-designation today.

The four-year designation is awarded by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program, an affiliate of the American Nurses Association.

Magnet designation recognizes facilities meeting a series of high-quality standards designed to measure the strength and quality of their nursing programs. CHRISTUS Children’s is the city’s first and only freestanding hospital solely dedicated to caring for children and pregnant women. It is also the only hospital of its kind to earn this designation in south Texas and one of only 52 children’s hospitals across the world.

“Magnet Designation is the highest honor to receive for professional nursing practice, and it validates the highest standards we deliver each day” said Barbara Vazquez, chief nursing officer for CHRISTUS Children’s. “We have an outstanding team of nurses, and this re-designation showcases the hard work they put in each day. I am proud to work alongside each of them.”

Magnet recognition is widely accepted as the gold standard of excellence in nursing. The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing professional practice, research and evidenced-based practice, and measurement of outcomes. ANCC evaluates applicants on rigorous criteria that reflect excellence in patient care and outcomes, and the direct impact of the care of frontline nurses.

“Our CHRISTUS Children’s nurses are the best of the best,” said Cris Daskevich, chief executive officer of CHRISTUS Children’s. “Their tireless commitment to our patients and families, our mission, and to each other, is on full display every day.”

To achieve Magnet recognition, CHRISTUS Children’s underwent a rigorous and lengthy process involving widespread participation from the entire organization. The process includes onsite visits, patient care documentation and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition. It is a process spanning over two years.

According to ANCC, less than 10% of hospitals achieve the criteria necessary for Magnet recognition, making it one of the most difficult statuses to secure.