Mary Greeley receives Magnet recognition

AMES — Mary Greeley Medical Center has earned Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Magnet recognition is considered the gold standard for nursing and the highest honor given by the ANCC. Mary Greeley is one of seven hospitals in Iowa to earn this recognition and is the only hospital in central Iowa to have it.

“Magnet recognition tells everyone that Mary Greeley Medical Center is a great place to practice nursing,” Cory Geffre, vice president and chief nursing officer, said. “If it’s a great place to be a nurse, you know it’s a great place to be a patient.”

The recognition came after a rigorous application and review process, which included a site visit by Magnet Recognition Program evaluators. With emphasis on quality, patient care practices and performance outcomes, the Magnet Recognition Program measures how an organization involves nursing in leadership and decision-making and provides nursing staff with tools and training to drive continual improvement and innovation.

“Working closely with providers and other medical center staff, our nurses play central roles in inpatient and outpatient care — not only in day-to-day care, but also in developing and improving the processes we use to deliver care,” Amy Stark, director of nursing professional practice, said.

Research indicates that organizations that have received Magnet recognition have lower rates of patient falls and higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and discharge information. Magnet-recognized organizations also have higher levels of job satisfaction.

Mary Greeley employs approximately 500 nurses, more than half have earned their BSN. Studies have shown that organizations with high percentages of BSN-prepared RNs have better patient outcomes.

Currently, only 491 of the more than 6,000 U.S. healthcare organizations have received the credential.

Thrivent honored as one of World’s Most Ethical

Companies

MINNEAPOLIS — Thrivent, a not-for-profit membership organization that helps members be wise with money and live generously, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies.

Thrivent has been recognized eight years in a row and is one of only five honorees in the financial services industry.

In 2019, 128 honorees were recognized spanning 21 countries and 50 industries. The 13th class of honorees profoundly illustrates how companies continue to be the driving force for improving communities, building capable and empowered workforces and fostering corporate cultures focused on ethics and a strong sense of purpose.

“We’re proud to once again be named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” Terry Rasmussen, president and CEO of Thrivent, said. “At Thrivent, we are purposeful and intentional about following ethical business practices and ensuring our actions reflect commitment, collaboration and care. Setting this high standard helps us fulfill our mission of serving more Christians on their wise with money journeys.”

The World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient framework, which offers a quantitative way to assess a company’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized manner. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics.

Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35 percent), culture of ethics (20 percent), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20 percent), governance (15 percent) and leadership and reputation (10 percent). All companies that participate in the assessment process receive their scores, providing them with valuable insights into how they stack up against leading organizations.

The full list of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies can be found at worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees.

Best practices and insights from the 2019 honorees will be released in a report and webcast in March and April of this year. Sign up to receive the report.

100 Great Iowa Nurses announces 2019 honorees

IOWA CITY — The 100 Great Iowa Nurses program announced the 2019 honorees have been selected and posted at www.greatnurses.org/honorees-2/. Nurses selected for this honor represent many sectors of health care, including hospitals, long-term care facilities and school and office nurses. These nurses are selected based on their concern for humanity, their contribution to the community and to the nursing profession, their leadership and mentoring. Two area nurses have been selected for this year’s honor: Kolette Clearman, of Cambridge, Mary Greeley Medical Center and Stacie Fobian, of Reinbeck, UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital.

On May 5, the public will celebrate the 100 Great Iowa Nurses at the Iowa Events Center — Grand Ballroom in Des Moines. This is the 15th anniversary of the program. The celebration is an annual prelude to National Nurses Week, which begins on May 6 and ends May 12 (the birthday of Florence Nightingale).

This year, the 100 honorees represent 45 Iowa counties and were selected from a pool of more than 500 individuals who were nominated by colleagues, patients, doctors, friends and family members. The field of nominees was narrowed to 100 by a panel of reviewers, including nursing professionals and previous honorees.

This is a statewide event that belongs to the people of Iowa, and is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors. Additional funds raised for the program are used for financial awards for nursing education.

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