In September 2009, Mary Washington Hospital received the Magnet award for excellence in nursing services from the American Nurses Association. It’s one of the highest levels of recognition a hospital can achieve and demonstrates superior nursing. In fact, this award places Mary Washington Hospital in an elite group of only 15 Virginia hospitals that have attained this status.

Magnet designation is provided by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the world's largest nurse credentialing organization and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA). The recognition is achieved by healthcare organizations that meet designated performance benchmarks regarding the quality of nursing services they provide to patients and the caliber of their professional nursing environment. Only five percent of the nation's hospitals have achieved Magnet status to date.

Magnet designation benefits the hospital in myriad ways. For starters, nurses are keenly aware of the importance of Magnet status and, in fact, many ask about it during the interview process. The fact that Mary Washington Hospital has top-tier nurses helps us attract more of the same. In turn, this level of nursing excellence is a significant benefit to patients.