St. Joseph's University Medical Center Receives 2022 ANCC Magnet Prize®

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) announced that St. Joseph's University Medical Center recently received the 2022 ANCC Magnet Prize^®, sponsored by Oracle Cerner, a global health care technology company. The award was presented at the 2022 co-located ANCC National Magnet Conference^® and ANCC Pathway to Excellence Conference^® in Philadelphia.  The award was accepted by Kevin P. Browne, DNP, RN, CCRN-K, Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nurse Executive at St. Joseph's Health.

“I am extremely proud of our nursing team and their ongoing commitment to delivering outstanding patient-centered care,” said Kevin Slavin, President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Health. “The 2022 ANCC Magnet Prize demonstrates their professionalism and dedication to our patients and their families. Congratulations to the entire team on this well-deserved award.”

In addition to receiving the ANCC Magnet prize this year, St. Joseph’s University Medical Center has achieved Magnet® designation five consecutive times since 1999, as part of the ANCC Magnet® Recognition Program, Nursing’s highest honor. 

The ANCC Magnet Prize is presented to a Magnet® designated organization whose care delivery team initiative best represents exemplary achievements in patient care services, including initiatives in healthcare delivery and research leading to innovations that result in positive outcomes. St. Joseph's University Medical Center will use the $75,000 purse, sponsored by Oracle Cerner, to further develop its innovative nurse driven vascular access program. 

“Bedside subcutaneous tunneling (ST) has transformed the vascular access possibilities for acute, critical and chronically ill patients – from the micro-preemie to adults,” said Kevin P. Browne, DNP, RN, CCRN-K, Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nurse Executive, St. Joseph's Health. “The benefits have exceeded expectations and provided our patients with a favorable patient experience and positive patient outcomes.”

The medical center’s vascular access nursing team, led by an advanced practice registered nurse Matthew Ostroff, MSN, APN, VABC sought to improve the comfort and safety of long-term IV access for vulnerable patients, including high-risk neonates, children with sickle cell disease, adults with end-stage renal disease, cancer, and long-haul COVID syndromes. Their commitment and perseverance led them to developing an innovative bedside ultrasound-guided vascular access program. 

Bedside subcutaneous tunneling has resulted in a number of patient care improvements, including reduction of infection risk from catheters and the first non-central catheter to provide uninterrupted intravenous therapy to patients. The program has a measurable ROI and can be replicated at hospitals around the world. 

As technology takes on a larger role in health care, nursing skills are even more vital. Nurses are often the first face seen by patients as they walk into a practice or hospital, and nurses provide key support during the difficult moments for patients and their families,” said Liz Harvey, Chief Nursing Officer, Oracle Cerner. “Oracle Cerner congratulates St. Joseph's University Medical Center for their innovative approaches and nursing excellence.”

“St. Joseph’s University Medical Center’s vascular access nursing team exemplifies how nurses rise to the challenge in Magnet organizations by asking ‘How can we make this work for the patient?’” said Rebecca Graystone, MS, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Vice President, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® and the Pathway to Excellence® Program. “The team’s tenacity and ingenuity has revolutionized long-term IV access for patients from the NICU to the ICU, and improved care nationwide.”