Photo by Dana Johnson
‘Mock’ visits give feel for Magnet process
In preparation for the Magnet Recognition site visit later this summer, Vicki George, a former American Nurses' Credentialing Center (ANCC) site evaluator, was at VUMC for a series of mock visits to 15 different departments within the Medical Center.
George likened a Magnet Recognition site visit to someone showing off their home to guests for the first time. “You want to tell them about the things that make you the most proud,” she said. “That's what we mean by amplifying what's already in the VUMC (application) document.”
In a special meeting with Magnet Champions, George outlined the structure of a typical Magnet site visit. VUMC will have four evaluators and one apprentice who will be shadowing the evaluators. The evaluators convene at several points throughout their four-day visit, but mostly work separately in order to visit each patient care center, clinic and department.
“They will look to verify, validate and amplify,” George said. “It is an opportunity to bring the document alive, to have fun and to shine.”
George emphasized that the Magnet evaluators are looking for collaboration – meeting in the collective with a representative from each unit's patient care area. Visits will last approximately 30 minutes and provide opportunity for dialogue. While some evaluators might want a brief tour of the unit, they will likely prefer to interview those assembled in a conference room setting. In some cases, the evaluators may want to speak to a pre-designated patient.
“After nearly 18 months of work, we are getting down the last major stage of the evaluation process,” said Sabrina Downs, director or VUMC's Magnet Recognition program. “We look forward to working together toward this common goal.”
For more information about VUMC's pursuit of Magnet, please visit: www.vanderbiltmagnet.com.