Congratulations to all 3,500 members of our nursing community on our Magnet designation! I hope you’re feeling the “Magnet Magic” as we celebrate this extraordinary recognition of nursing and outstanding patient care at the Brigham. 

The excitement of receiving the designation and the momentum that built during our journey certainly feel magical, but there is no mystery behind the designation itself. Meeting Magnet standards is about evidence-based practice, supporting and empowering nurses and working in close collaboration with our colleagues. 

While we knew all along that the Brigham was deserving of Magnet because of the work we do every day, the external validation is reaffirming. As staff set about gathering evidence and preparing for the site visit, there were so many conversations about what it is that we do. We talked about our role in quality and safety, in patient outcomes, in advocating for our patients, in research, in collaborating with the interprofessional team and all other areas of our work. Staff from different units and practices who had never met before were suddenly connected and sharing best practices together. 

And because Magnet is not solely a nursing recognition, but a recognition of an institution for the ways it supports its staff and delivers outstanding patient care, we swept up the entire hospital in our excitement. Staff began to think differently about their own contributions and those of their colleagues. It led to greater acknowledgement of the team as a whole and respect for each individual. More collaboration, more recognition and a renewed focus on why we do this work – that’s where the magic crept in. 

In my time at the Brigham, I have witnessed so many shining examples of nurses going to great lengths to help patients achieve their miracles and to support patients’ loved ones and each other. These ways that you so often go above and beyond to make a difference are, for me, what makes nursing at the Brigham so special. 

I told the staff who gathered in Bornstein for the phone call with the Magnet Commission that this is the best place I have ever worked, and that’s because of all of you. 

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your deep commitment to your patients and to each other. Let’s keep making magic happen for all those serve.

With warm regards,

Madelyn Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services