Christiana Care Health System Wins 2018 ANCC Magnet Prize^®

SILVER SPRING, MD—The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) announced today that Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, DE, is the recipient of the 2018 ANCC Magnet Prize^®, sponsored by Cerner, a global leader in healthcare technology.

^{Christiana Care Health System wins the 2018 ANCC Magnet Prize.}

The prize was presented at the 2018 ANCC National Magnet Conference^® in Denver. It honors innovative nursing programs and practices in ANCC Magnet-recognized organizations. Cerner supports these programs and practices by sponsoring the $50,000 purse attached to the prize. The money will help Christiana Care further develop its winning proposal.

Christiana Care received the ANCC Magnet Prize for its use of virtual reality (VR) technology to improve the patient experience in the chemotherapy suite. The process is two-fold. Nurses use VR as part of pre-chemotherapy education, providing an immersive learning experience to familiarize patients with what to expect. The goal is to decrease anxiety and increase preparation for the first day of treatment. The technology is also used to provide a positive distraction while patients receive chemotherapy. They can relax on the beach, view scenic attractions, or surround themselves with nature’s beauty.

"ANCC is proud to recognize Christiana Care for its novel use of technology to create a more positive experience for patients and families," said Jeff Doucette, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, LNHA, FAAN, FACHE, Vice President Magnet Recognition Program^® and Pathway to Excellence^®. “This nurse-led innovation highlights the vision inherent in Magnet organizations to find unique solutions that break the mold of standard nursing practice.”

Results of the Christiana Care pilot program were overwhelmingly positive. Patients created new connections with each other and with their caregivers through the VR experience. The use of VR created an enhanced opportunity for nurses to listen to stories of past patient travels, hear about happy moments they recalled, and better relate to their patients.

“With relationship-based care as our professional practice framework, the enhanced focus on human connection that virtual reality technology creates honors the key relationship between our patients and families, and caregivers,” said Ric Cuming, EdD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Christiana Care’s Chief Nurse Executive. “This high-tech, positive distraction improves their experience and gives our exceptional nurses an opportunity to demonstrate our system’s value of serving together with love. We are thankful and humbled to receive the ANCC Magnet Prize in recognition of our efforts to improve patient care and outcomes.”

The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition of professional nursing practice. ANCC Magnet Prize-winning organizations must meet specific criteria, such as extraordinary nursing activities that have been sustained over an extended period of time, innovations that are beyond the characteristics of Magnet organizations, or positive outcomes that have been demonstrated and empirically linked to the innovation.

“Christiana Care is a shining example of the excellence in nursing that can be achieved when combining innovative technology with high-quality care and compassionate clinicians,” said Eva Karp DHA, MBA, RN-BC, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical and Patient Safety Officer, Cerner. “We look forward to working with Christiana Care as it continues to use health IT to engage patients and improve their experiences.”

About the ANCC Magnet Prize
The ANCC Board of Directors established the Magnet Prize to encourage the pursuit of excellence. The prize recognizes organizations with unique programs where innovative action transforms nursing practice. The interventions and outcomes benefit the nursing profession as a whole and have a direct impact on patients in various settings. This award serves as a means for acknowledging peak performance within credentialed Magnet organizations and is the highest honor ANCC bestows within the Magnet community. Cerner has sponsored the award since 2007.

About ANCC
The mission of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, is to promote excellence in nursing and health care globally through credentialing programs. ANCC's internationally renowned credentialing programs certify and recognize individual nurses in specialty practice areas. ANCC recognizes healthcare organizations that promote nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes while providing safe, positive work environments. In addition, ANCC accredits healthcare organizations that provide and approve continuing nursing education and accredits transition to practice programs and prepares nurses for new practice roles. For more information about ANCC, visit us at nursingworld.org/ancc and follow us on Twitter. ANCC is the only nurse credentialing organization to successfully achieve ISO 9001: 2015 certification.

About Cerner
Cerner’s health technologies connect people and information systems at more than 27,500 contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers an integrated clinical and financial system to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, The Cerner Blog or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or The Cerner Podcast. Nasdaq: CERN. Smarter Care. Better Outcomes. Healthier You.
[Cerner Contact: Austin Cozzolino; 816-786-2154; austin.cozzolino@cerner.com]

About Christiana Care Health System
Headquartered in Wilmington, DE, and continually ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Hospital, Christiana Care is one of the country’s largest academic health systems, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. Christiana Care includes an extensive network of outpatient services, home health care, medical aid units, two hospitals (1,227 beds), a Level 1 trauma center, and a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit, comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in cardiology, cancer and women’s health. With our unique, data-powered care coordination service and a focus on population health and value-based care, Christiana Care is shaping the future of healthcare. Visit https://christianacare.org to learn more.
[Christiana Contact: Hiran Ratnayake; 302-327-3327; hratnayake@christianacare.org]