Nursing leaders at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics received the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence in 2004, the first hospital in the state to earn the distinction.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the credentialing arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA), awards the coveted honor, which is granted only to hospitals that undergo a rigorous, voluntary evaluation process. The ANA has demonstrated that hospitals that meet their stringent requirements provide positive patient outcomes, recognize excellence in nursing services and reward professional nursing achievement. Only about 100 hospitals in the U.S. have earned the award.

Independent studies of Magnet hospitals have shown that patients who receive care in such centers average a shorter length of stay and have higher rates of satisfaction. Also, nurses working in Magnet hospitals are more satisfied with their work and the care they provide, and Magnet hospitals have an increased rate of retention among nurses.

The Magnet Nursing Services Recognition Program was established in 1993 to recognize health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition within nursing that supports professional nursing practice. It is the highest level of recognition that the American Nurses Credentialing Center can accord to organized nursing services in the national and international health care communities.

The ANCC is the nation's largest and foremost accrediting and credentialing organization for the nursing profession. The Magnet Recognition Program provides important national and international recognition to health care organizations that demonstrate sustained excellence in nursing care.