Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital earns third-straight Magnet designation

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital has earned its third consecutive Magnet designation – a national recognition that serves as the gold standard for nursing practice.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes hospitals that meet rigorous standards of nursing excellence and demonstrate professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. Only 2 percent of hospitals have earned this designation three times, and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital (BSSF) in West Ashley is the first in South Carolina to achieve a third Magnet designation.

“This honor shows the community that we not only maintained the level of excellence that Magnet status represents, but that we keep raising the bar and pushing beyond where we were five and even 10 years ago,” said Pennie Peralta, chief nursing officer for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “This designation takes on even greater importance now because it proves we are continually improving so our hospital is a best place for our nurses to work as we provide them with the resources and support they need to deliver excellent care for patients.”

BSSF was first designated as a Magnet hospital in 2010 and again in 2015. Earning re-designation becomes increasingly difficult each time for Magnet hospitals. Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as:

• Improved patient outcomes

• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.

• Higher job satisfaction among nurses.

• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions.

To achieve Magnet recognition, BSSF passed a rigorous and lengthy process that demanded widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process included an application to pursue redesignation, written documentation and evidence of meeting or exceeding Magnet standards, an on-site visit to validate the evidence, and a review by the Commission on Magnet.

The process spanned over multiple years and was led by Peralta and Tanya Lott, magnet program director. The commission talked to more than 400 teammates and community members in February and verified that BSSF had met all the 73 Magnet standards. BSSF outperformed the median of national benchmarks for nursing quality data, including central line-associated bloodstream infections, hospital-acquired pressure injuries, nursing engagement, nursing innovations and research, patient perception and a host of other indicators.

“This achievement shows that we are staying focused on the right things for our patients and teammates, and it means we have embraced what Magnet stands for – excellence in patient care,” Lott said. “I am just so honored to work alongside these amazing teammates each day and with such an incredible nurse leader as Pennie Peralta. This is our legacy, and I am extremely proud that I get to be a part of this historical occasion for our hospital, healthcare system, community and state.”