Inova Alexandria Hospital Gets Magnet Status, Now Ranks Among Top 10% in the Country for Nursing Excellence

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Inova Alexandria Hospital has been designated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet status is considered the highest organizational honor awarded for nursing excellence. Inova is the first and only health system in the DC Metro Region and the Commonwealth of Virginia to have all hospitals achieve Magnet status. Currently only about 10 percent of the approximately 6,100 hospitals in the United States have achieved Magnet status. With the addition of Inova Alexandria, all five Inova hospitals now hold this prestigious designation.

“Clinical excellence, unwavering dedication and commitment to exceptional patient care are the cornerstones of Magnet designation,” said Maureen Sintich, DNP, MBA, RN, Chief Nurse Executive, Inova. “This achievement is a testament to the Inova Alexandria Hospital nurses and the nurses at all five Inova hospitals who, each day, pledge to provide a standard of care that is not just exemplary, but transformative, and reflects the collective effort of all Inova nurses who work tirelessly to meet and exceed the rigorous standards set by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.”

In addition to receiving its Magnet designation, Inova Alexandria also achieved four “exemplars” for top performance in the prevention of central line bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, hospital-acquired pressure injuries and patient burns in the ambulatory setting. Exemplars are nationally recognized best practice models.

“Achieving the prestigious Magnet designation is not just an accolade; it signifies our commitment to providing the highest standard of patient care, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and creating a workplace that empowers our nurses to thrive,” said Francine Barr, DNP, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Inova Alexandria Hospital. “Together, we will continue to elevate the standards of nursing care and positively impact the lives of the patients we serve.”

Hospitals applying for Magnet status must meet demanding criteria, including benchmarks in nursing leadership, excellence in patient care, quality clinical standards, and a commitment to continued quality review and improvement. The process for earning the status is lengthy and measures four years’ worth of performance data.

“This achievement marks a significant milestone in Inova’s history and puts us in a category of our own as the first and only health system in both the DC Metro Region and the Commonwealth of Virginia to have all hospitals achieve Magnet status,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, President and CEO, Inova. “I am immensely proud of our nurses, whose relentless pursuit of excellence exemplifies the heart and soul of our mission to provide world-class care to every patient we serve with a warm and human touch.”

The work environment created by those designated as Magnet hospitals has proven to result in higher job satisfaction for nurses. A growing body of research shows this has a direct effect on the quality of patient care, evident in decreased mortality rates and shorter hospital stays, as well as in higher patient satisfaction ratings.

To achieve Magnet status, organizations must demonstrate support for education and development through every career stage for its nursing staff including a nurse residency, specialty practice fellowships, a research and evidence-based practice program, and tuition reimbursement for Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees and higher education.

Inova Loudoun and Inova Fair Oaks hospitals have maintained Magnet status since 2006 and 2009, respectively. Inova Fairfax Hospital was among the first in the country to be recognized as a Magnet hospital in 1997 and maintained the designation through 2015 and was designated again in 2020. Inova Mount Vernon Hospital earned Magnet Status in March 2022.