Northern Westchester Hospital achieves top nursing honor: Magnet® with Distinction

Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) has earned its fourth consecutive Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and for the first time, achieved the highest possible recognition: Magnet® with Distinction. This recognition is awarded to health care organizations for nursing excellence and high standards in patient care.

Magnet designation is considered the highest national honor for professional nursing practice. Approximately 10% of hospitals in the U.S. have achieved Magnet status since the program's inception in 1983. Hospitals must undergo a rigorous on-site review by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® Commission to earn this distinction. To recognize Magnet-accredited organizations that significantly exceed the scoring thresholds, Magnet with Distinction was introduced in 2023 and celebrates their dedication to continuous improvement and the highest standards of nursing practice.

NWH is one of just four hospitals in New York State to achieve Magnet with Distinction.

"Achieving Magnet with Distinction reflects the sustained dedication of our nursing team to exceptional patient care and professional growth," said Derek Anderson, president of NWH. "The ANCC appraisers recognized the powerful voice our nurses have in shaping patient outcomes, our robust multidisciplinary collaboration, our culture of safety and trust, and our commitment to innovation and staff development. This designation reinforces the high standards we uphold daily."

In addition to these achievements, NWH was recognized for an impressive 21 exemplars — or instances of outstanding performance that significantly exceed national benchmarks. Among these, NWH was highlighted for its robust commitment to nurse well-being. A key component of that is the hospital’s dedicated Integrative Health Department, which offers to both staff members and patients a wide array of holistic services at no cost. Furthermore, the hospital's significant support for nursing research and the dissemination of findings was noted, with seven nurse-led, Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research studies completed and one ongoing. This demonstrates how clinical nurses, advanced practice nurses, and administrators actively share knowledge internally, regionally and internationally.

NWH exceeded national benchmarks in several categories, including a 93.4 percent overall baccalaureate-prepared nurse rate, surpassing national Magnet averages. The hospital demonstrated superior performance in patient experience, with 100 percent of inpatient units exceeding national benchmarks in care coordination, courtesy and respect, patient education and patient-centered care. Ambulatory units similarly surpassed benchmarks in courtesy and respect, pain management and responsiveness. NWH was also recognized for its strong performance across numerous quality indicators — specific metrics used to assess the effectiveness and safety of care — reflecting excellence in areas critical to positive patient outcomes.

"This achievement honors the exceptional care delivered by our nurses at Northern Westchester Hospital and reinforces Northwell's system-wide dedication to fostering environments where our nurses can thrive, innovate and consistently provide the highest standard of patient-centered care,” said Launette Woolforde, EdD, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, DSc hc, FAAN, executive vice president and chief nursing officer for Northwell Health. “Northern Westchester Hospital is one of 14 Magnet-certified hospitals in our health system, a testament to our collective pursuit of nursing excellence at Northwell Health.”

This fourth Magnet designation adds to NWH’s notable history of nursing and patient care achievements:

• Planetree Person-Centered Care Hospital designation: Awarded for a holistic approach that actively involves patients and families in care decisions.
• AACN Gold Beacon Award for Excellence in the ICU: Recognizes excellence in critical care units for patient outcomes, staff retention and healthy work environments.
• Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Lantern Award (twice): Celebrates emergency departments that demonstrate exceptional practice and innovation in patient care.
• NICHE™ (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) member: Designation for hospitals committed to improving care for older adult patients.
• ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP): Accreditations for organizations that provide high-quality residency or fellowship programs for nurses transitioning into new practice settings.