ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND NURSING PRACTICE: THE MAGNET RECOGNITION PROGRAM ® AS A FRAMEWORK FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) established the Magnet Recognition Program® (MRP) with the goal of identifying excellence in the delivery of nursing services. Magnet Recognition® is an organizational credential earned by achieving performance-driven standards. The standards, called “sources of evidence,” are organized in a framework that can be used to assess or improve an organization's culture and the impact of its nursing services. This article describes the Magnet® framework and reviews the research evidence linking organizational culture, nursing practice, and patient outcomes. While experience with the MRP outside of the United States is limited, early reports suggest that it is positive. The authors conclude that over 30 years of incremental research findings support the benefits of the Magnet® framework, and that the journey to fulling the Magnet® requirements can have rewards both internal and external to healthcare organizations.