Way back in elementary school science, we learned about magnets. Remember being wowed by that U-shaped wand and its hidden force field? That magical power of attraction? Well, just last week, Roper St. Francis learned that once again, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital (BSSF) has a similar amazing pull and power. The power of quality.
The nursing department at Bon Secours St. Francis earned Magnet designation – the ultimate credential for high quality nursing, recognizing quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovation, as determined by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This was BSSF’s second straight time to achieve this honor—the first being in 2010.
More simply, Magnet status in the world of nursing is a big, big deal. Like, Magnet-tude. So, yeah, we’re just a wee bit proud of all our BSSF nurses.
As Pennie Peralta, BSSF vice president of nursing, put it: “This honor means that we not only maintained the level of excellence that Magnet status represents, but we raised the bar and pushed beyond where we were five years ago. That is a direct reflection on the caliber of care provided by our clinical staff.” And it puts BSSF in rare company. There are only 419 Magnet facilities in the world, and we’re one of just two Magnet hospitals in South Carolina and the only one in the Lowcountry.
But while third-party credentialing is one thing (and a nice thing at that!), we think it’s equally important to hear what a few of our rock star BSSF nurses have to say:
“There’s an atmosphere (at BSSF) of building people up and helping them grow professionally, emotionally, mentally and even physically. Magnet status means to me that I work in a place that ALWAYS places the patient and family first. It’s the atmosphere from the top to the bottom and from the bottom to the top. We truly live our Mission every day, and we are always finding ways to improve upon our nursing practice, patient outcomes, quality, efficiency, finances … and the list goes on and on.”
Jennifer Vieau, MSN, MHA, RN, CNOR,
Clinical Specialist in the Operating Room/Sterile Processing Dept and part of the BSSF team since 2006
“This Magnet designation has lit a fire in me that I didn’t know existed. Being a therapist in a world of nurses can be intimidating when it comes to new projects and ideas, but not at BSSF. I have never felt more supported and accepted in my career. This Magnet designation has changed my whole perspective on how interdisciplinary departments are integrated with nursing; we are all treated equally despite our credentials. This is HUGE! I’ve never felt more empowered and engaged as I do now. It truly is an honor to work here.”
Mindy Cate, RRT-NPS
Respiratory Therapist II/Neonatal-Pediatric Specialist
“I love building a connection with my patients on 1st St. Anne. We have the privilege to care for a variety of patients — from pediatric to women post-op GYN surgery. Having worked at other facilities, I must say, Magnet designation exemplifies what it means to be part of a team focused on providing high quality patient care. Also, it magnifies what a privilege it is to work for an organization that truly cares about their employees and their successes.”
Ashley Ramsey, BSN, CCRN
RSF nurse since 2007
