UK loses branding for high-quality nursing care

The University of Kentucky hospital has lost magnet status, a designation given to facilities that offer high-quality nursing care, the Lexington Herald-Leader's Mary Meehan reports.

The recent review says UK, which advertised the designation by flying its flag (H-L photo by Charles Bertram), did not have a "structure for supporting a culture of patient safety." Nurses did not meet the grade when it came to "friendliness/courtesy," "promptness/response to call," and "attention to special/personal needs." Their attitudes toward requests also were apparently lacking.

Dr. Richard Lofgren, chief clinical officer for UKHealthcare, downplayed the loss. "It is a recognition from a professional society," he said. "You can get recognition from a whole lot of professional societies." But other hospital officials say "the designation means so much to them that they make meeting the expensive and time-consuming application process part of the job responsibilities of employees," Meehan reports.

Kentucky facilities that have magnet status include: Baptist East Hospital in Louisville; Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington; Frankfort Regional Medical Center in Frankfort; Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville; and St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Northern Kentucky.