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News Release
University of Colorado Hospital Awarded the Magnet Prize
DENVER (October 21, 2004) — The American Nurses Credentialing Center has awarded the prestigious "Magnet Prize" to University of Colorado Hospital. The prize was awarded to the hospital at the culmination of the Eighth Annual Magnet Nursing Conference in Sacramento, Calif., last week.
The ANCC's Board of Directors established the Magnet Prize to further encourage the pursuit of excellence in hospitals that have already been established as magnet-designated organizations. University of Colorado Hospital was awarded magnet status in 2002. To initially gain magnet designation, a hospital must exhibit high RN job satisfaction, excellent registered nurse-to-patient ratios, the highest quality of patient care as assessed by its nursing staff, and low registered nurse turnover rate.
The ANCC Magnet Prize recognizes extraordinary innovations at magnet-designated hospitals that transform the work environments of nurses and can include cutting-edge research, practices, services, technologies, programs, or other exemplary innovations with demonstrable positive outcomes.
"This award was designed as a means to acknowledge peak performance, and I am thrilled that the ANCC holds this hospital among such an elite group," said Colleen Goode, RN, PhD, FAAN, Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer for the University of Colorado Hospital. "We all work very hard to base our nursing practice on an evidence-based approach which has demonstrated better outcomes for our patients."
According to the ANCC website, the word "magnet" has become a philosophy and a symbol within the nursing profession for transforming work environments and for continuous pursuit of the best possible care. It is an institution-wide commitment to a culture in which excellence flourishes.
University of Colorado Hospital also will be recognized at the American Organization of Nurse Executives annual conference, the American Nurses Association (ANA) convention, and the ANA constituent member convention.
University of Colorado Hospital is the Rocky Mountain region's only academic tertiary care and referral center, and has been recognized as one of America's best hospitals, according to U.S.News & World Report. Located in Denver and Aurora, Colo., the hospital is part of the University of Colorado Denver campus, one of three campuses in the University of Colorado system. For more information, visit the Web site at www.uch.edu.