Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) — Memorial Health has received its fifth consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, earning the organization’s highest level of recognition, Magnet with Distinction, for excellence in nursing care.
The designation recognizes hospitals that demonstrate outstanding patient care, nursing leadership and professional practice. Memorial leaders said the new distinction places Springfield Memorial Hospital among fewer than 100 hospitals nationwide and internationally to receive the honor.
“The Magnet designation speaks to the heart of what care is about,” said Jennifer Bond, vice president and chief nursing officer at Memorial Health. “It’s about quality care outcomes, excellent patient experiences, but ultimately, it’s about hospitals that excel in supporting their teams to do their very best work.”
Bond said the designation reflects more than patient outcomes. It also recognizes Memorial’s investment in its nursing staff through advanced education, specialty certifications and continuous professional development.
“We have doctorally prepared nurses working at the bedside,” Bond said. “It’s about continuous improvement. It’s a real great service to the community.”
The Magnet Recognition Program, administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, has served as the gold standard for nursing excellence for more than 35 years. Hospitals must undergo a rigorous, evidence-based evaluation that includes extensive documentation and a multiday on-site review.
Kim Yieley, Memorial’s Magnet program coordinator, said the hospital’s nursing staff stood out because of its high level of engagement and commitment to improving patient care.
“Our nurses truly care about our patients and our outcomes,” Yieley said. “They come to us all the time with problems and say, ‘I want to fix this,’ and we work together to improve care.”
Bond said one factor highlighted during the review was Memorial’s Learning Center, a simulation facility where nurses and other health care professionals train using lifelike scenarios and standardized patients played by community actors.
Reviewers praised the center as an important resource for preparing nurses to respond to increasingly complex patient needs while also serving medical residents and other health care professionals throughout the region, Bond said.
Yieley said the recognition also reinforces that patients can receive nationally recognized care without leaving Central Illinois.
“I want our community to know they can find highly specialized, high-quality care close to home,” she said. “You don’t have to travel out of state or to Chicago. We have some of the best physician partners, pharmacists, therapists and nurses in the area.”
Memorial has maintained Magnet recognition for 20 years. The designation is renewed every four years, with the hospital required to meet ongoing benchmarks and submit interim reports before seeking redesignation in 2030.
