Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital achieved its second Magnet® Designation in recognition of nursing excellence and the highest level of professionalism in nursing practice. This prestigious designation is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence. 

Held by fewer than 10 percent of hospitals nationwide, Johns Hopkins All Children’s is one of only six children’s hospitals in Florida to receive this recognition. It distinguishes the hospital regionally and nationally and is a reflection of the hard work, excellence and commitment of nursing staff and the care they provide to our patients and their families. 

“Magnet designation is not just about accolades; it is about the relentless pursuit of excellence in every aspect of our practice,” says Melissa Macogay, D.N.P., M.B.A., R.N., CCRN, NE-BC, vice president and chief nursing officer. “It is about fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation and collaboration. It is about recognizing that it takes a team – nurses, doctors, environmental services, families and all health care partners – to achieve extraordinary outcomes. This honor spans our entire organization.”

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital President Alicia Schulhof joined Macogay and other hospital leaders and employees for an afternoon conference call on April 11 with Magnet Recognition Program Commission Chair Sharon Pappas, R.N., Ph.D., NEA-BC, who shared the news that Johns Hopkins All Children’s received its second designation. 

“Our patients and their families always come first for our teams, and that commitment is reflected in this honor,” Schulhof says. “We are privileged to care for them. This honor recognizes their journey as much as ours.” 

The ANCC’s Magnet model provides a framework of key concepts essential to nursing excellence, including transformational leadership, coordination and collaboration across specialties, processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care, and a commitment to using new knowledge, innovation and technology to enhance care and engage patients and families.

In 2023, the application for re-designation was submitted to the ANCC and Johns Hopkins All Children’s received word the application met the threshold for nursing excellence and advanced to the next phase. 

In February 2024, a team of ANCC Magnet appraisers conducted a three-day site visit to validate the information contained in the application. They met with front-line nursing staff, nurse leaders, physicians, other hospital staff and patient families. They shared their findings with a panel of ANCC Magnet program leaders, who then delivered the exciting news to Johns Hopkins All Children’s leaders and employees during the April 11 call. The commission noted exemplars in six areas of high performance, including: 

• Structural Empowerment, citing 89% of nurses with a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing
• Professional Practice, citing five areas:
  • Outperformed benchmark for hospital-acquired pressure injuries
  • Outperformed benchmark for catheter-associated urinary tract infection
  • Outperformed benchmark for device-related hospital-acquired pressure injury
  • Outperformed benchmark for falls with injury in ambulatory areas
  • Outperformed benchmark for surgical errors in ambulatory settings

Magnet is both personal and professional for Macogay, who joined the hospital as a bedside nurse in 2008, became a nurse leader responsible for several inpatient units and was named chief nursing officer in 2018.

“Watching the resilience and dedication of our nursing team over the past several challenging years has been incredible,” Macogay says. “I couldn’t be prouder to work among this group.” 

Kim Kuperman, M.S.N., R.N., NE-BC, NPD-BC, director of professional nursing practice, joined the hospital in 2016. She has helped reinforce the structures and processes for Magnet re-designation and then led the team that completed the application and prepared for the recent site visit. Kuperman’s appreciation for her colleagues and pride in the hospital shined through during Thursday’s announcement. 

“The heroes are the patients and families,” Kuperman says. “They inspire the dedication, creativity and commitment that brings an honor like this.”