by Matt Batcheldor
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) will bring a team of appraisers to Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital (VPH) from Aug. 22-24 as part of the Magnet fourth designation process.
The purpose of the site visit is for the appraisers to confirm and validate the submitted information and culture of VPH by listening to as many nursing and staff members as possible.
It is the culmination of more than four years of comprehensive planning and preparation, including the creation of a lengthy, evidence-based Magnet document and education efforts for nurses throughout the hospital and pediatric clinics.
“We are pleased to welcome the appraisers and demonstrate our commitment to quality, evidence-based behavioral health care,” said Avni Cirpili, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer for VPH. “Our team has worked tirelessly to make this site visit happen, and I would like to thank everyone involved.”
A team of appraisers will meet in person with VPH nurses, physicians and ancillary staff over the course of the three-day visit.
The ANCC’s Magnet designation is the highest honor an organization can receive for the provision of nursing care and interprofessional collaboration. Fewer than 10% have Magnet status, and no other hospital system in Middle Tennessee has achieved the designation.
VUMC received its first Magnet designation in November 2006, its second in April 2012 and third in July 2017.
“Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital has a long reputation of excellence in our community, and our nurses have played a critical role in that distinction,” said Executive Chief Nursing Officer Marilyn Dubree, MSN, RN, NE-BC. “We are pleased to demonstrate the excellent care we provide to our patients and families.”
Each of the previous three Magnet journeys required one site visit for VUMC.
However, starting with this designation process, separate site visits are required for VPH, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Adult Ambulatory Clinics and Vanderbilt University Hospital.
ANCC appraisers previously conducted a Magnet site visit for the adult clinics in March.
A site visit is scheduled for Children’s Hospital from Aug. 10-12 and Vanderbilt University Hospital from Aug. 16-19.
Following the site visits, the Commission on Magnet Recognition is expected to announce the outcome of VUMC’s fourth Magnet designation for each entity.
Hosting the VPH site visit is the result of years of work by nursing staff in the journey toward a fourth designation. In August 2021, VUMC electronically submitted four Magnet documents, one for each entity, which would total thousands of pages if printed.
The documents consist of examples from within the entities in response to questions, as well as demographic information including quality data and patient and staff satisfaction. In previous Magnet journeys, only one Magnet document was required for VUMC.