The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) unveiled its revised 2023 Magnet Application Manual(R)1 in November. Streamlined and updated, the new manual continues to provide the framework for the journey to Magnet(R) excellence, strengthens evidence-based requirements, and makes the Sources of Evidence (SOEs) more pertinent to challenges and changes that healthcare organizations face today.
Constancy of Purpose
The 2023 manual is the 13th new manual in the 31-year history of the Magnet Recognition Program(R). Each new edition raises the bar, and this version is no exception. As Former UK Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said, "The secret of success is constancy of purpose."1 From its origins in the 1980s, Magnet's purpose was to support nursing practice through a constant commitment to excellence. The ANCC and the Commission on Magnet Recognition (COM) seek to ensure that the program, and the manual that supports it, continues to reflect that commitment and promote nurses at the forefront of healthcare.
How the Manual Was Built
Detailed revisions began in 2020. The entire Magnet community, including content experts, appraisers, Magnet Recognition Program staff, and the COM, offered analysis, literature review, input, and feedback.
Vicki Lundmark, PhD, director of the Institute for Credentialing Research and Quality Management at the time, conducted a statistical analysis of the successful responses to the 2019 SOEs and examined the need for additional documentation. Senior Magnet Program Analysts (SMPAs) and the Magnet leadership team identified recommendations for the COM. Four teams (1 each for the Magnet Model components: Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment, Exemplary Professional Practice, and New Knowledge and Innovation; Figure 1), composed of COM members and SMPAs, conducted a literature review for each SOE and aligned the language to reflect current evidence. Changes were made based on the literature. The process was deliberate and intentional to ensure that each new SOE was achievable, clear, and helpful to Magnet organizations and new applicants alike.
This broad mix of stakeholders and rigorous, multistep review process ensured an evidence-based set of criteria that supports excellence in nursing practice and reflects the priorities of current and future healthcare environments.
What's New?
The most significant changes in the 2023 manual include the following:
* Increased emphasis on cultural competence, diversity, equity, and inclusion
* Increased importance of workplace advocacy initiatives, such as wellness and nurse abuse prevention programs
* A minimum of 2 key references now required to support the intervention work for each Empirical Outcome SOE
* Easy-to-spot notes and analysts' tips to enhance understanding of Magnet requirements
* Fully updated glossary and appendices
* An index to simplify your search for pertinent information
Revisions to the Magnet Application Manual add clarity and consistency to the Magnet Journey. They are intended to give hospitals and healthcare organizations a more relevant way to demonstrate the value of nursing care to their communities. Taken together, these transformations advance the Magnet Recognition Program's mission to compel higher levels of evidence-based standards guiding clinical care delivery, organizational performance, and nursing excellence.
Organizations submitting documentation in 2023 may write to the 2019 Magnet Application Manual(R) or the 2023 Magnet Application Manual(R). All organizations submitting documentation in 2024 must write to the 2023 Magnet Application Manual(R). If an organization requests an extension to move its document submission month into 2024, it will be required to write to the 2023 Magnet Application Manual(R). All organizations must submit documentation using ANCC's new web-based, online application system ADAM or ADAMplus. For more information, visithttp://www.nursingworld.org/adam.
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