Abstract
[This is an excerpt.] Creating a supportive practice environment fosters sustained excellence and inspires innovation. Nursing leaders recognize the benefit of the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) organizational credentials from the Magnet Recognition Program® (Magnet®) and Pathway to Excellence® (Pathway). Both programs provide valuable frameworks for achieving healthcare excellence that reinforce and build upon each other. Many organizations have used Pathway and Magnet frameworks to successfully improve a host of key measures, including nurse engagement, nurse retention, interprofessional collaboration, patient safety, quality, and outcomes. But how do the two programs compare? Magnet and Pathway are two distinct programs with a complementary focus. Magnet recognizes healthcare organizations for quality outcomes, patient care and nursing excellence, and innovations in professional practice, while Pathway emphasizes supportive practice environments, including an established shared-governance structure that values nurses' contributions in everyday decisions, especially those that affect their clinical practice and well-being. This environment promotes engaged and empowered staff, an essential foundation for every organization. [To read more, click View Resource.]
