Real Value of Seeking Credentialing Lies in the Journey

How much does designation as an American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program® (MRP) hospital matter? The results of a recent study call into question the value of attaining credentials from the ANCC, a division of the American Nurses Association.

A study published last month in the Journal of Nursing Administration has found worse patient outcomes at hospitals with MRP accreditation than at non-MRP facilities. According to the study:

Non-[MRP] hospitals had better patient outcomes than [MRP] hospitals. [MRP] hospitals had slightly better outcomes for pressure ulcers, but infections, postoperative sepsis, and postoperative metabolic derangement outcomes were worse in [MRP] hospitals. [MRP] hospitals also had lower staffing numbers.

So that logically raises the question: Is the designation worth it? Is it worth the time, effort, and money it takes to reach? After all, it can take years and tens of thousands of dollars—if not more—to achieve the coveted designation.

Despite all that, for two nurse leaders at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, NH, the answer is still a resounding "yes." And they haven't even achieved their goal yet.

"I think the biggest thing we've learned on our [MRP] journey is that it's about the journey itself," Emily Sheff, MS, RN, CMSRN, FNP-BC, Catholic Medical Center's nursing practice and standards coordinator, tells HealthLeaders. "We've learned and restructured and grown so much, just from the parts we've been able to look at thus far. I definitely think as an organization it's served us well."

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