Nursing leaders and Magnet Council members attend the Magnet Conference.

In October, members of the Brigham Magnet Council had the opportunity to spend three days together connecting and learning at the National Magnet Conference in Orlando. Council members joined more than 10,000 nurses who attended lectures and breakout sessions spanning a variety of topics related to the five components of the Magnet model.

“The Magnet Council is only about a year old, and attending the conference was a good way for us to bond and develop friendships,” said Cory Gallant, BS, RN, co-chair of the council and assistant nursing director of Braunwald Tower 15ABCD.

He added, “The conference was also validating in a lot of ways because we saw that we are ahead of the curve in some areas, like having a rapid response team and a committee structure in place. We also learned from other institutions about ways they have enhanced interprofessional collaboration and other areas.”

Building on the momentum of the Brigham’s Magnet journey and the lessons learned at the conference, the Magnet Council is kicking off its second year with a focus on education.

“We want to re-educate staff about how the work they do every day meets Magnet criteria,” said Deb Moody, BSN, RN, OCN, of the Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant unit and co-chair of the Magnet Council. “During a series of forums for champions this year, we’ll talk about each component of the Magnet model, examples on each unit and how to continue engaging staff.”

The Brigham will submit documentation and evidence for re-designation in the spring of 2022. Between now and then, council members will help staff in all areas continue to connect the work they do each day at the bedside, via committees, in quality improvement and in other areas with components of the Magnet model.

“We don’t do things differently for Magnet, but it’s important for staff to recognize and be proud of how their work meets the criteria for Magnet,” said Elaine Joyal, MSN, RN, NE-BC, nurse director for Special Programs and Innovations in the Center for Nursing Excellence and Magnet Program director. “With each re-designation, the bar is raised a little higher, and that’s a hallmark of the Brigham’s culture, too. We strive to continually improve and do even more to provide the best care to patients and their families.”

Staff who are interested in becoming Magnet champions and joining the council should contact Cory Gallant at cgallant2@bwh.harvard.edu or Deb Moody at dmoody@bwh.harvard.edu for more information.

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