Valley Children’s Hospital. File Photo.

Valley Children’s Hospital is now a member of a rare group of hospitals to receive its fourth Magnet designation for nursing excellence. This makes them one of only 71 hospitals worldwide that have earned this four-year-long status four or more times.

The Magnet designation is a credentialing program from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) that they consider its highest honor. In April 2004, Valley Children’s became the first pediatric hospital to achieve it. Valley Children’s received the recognition again in 2008 and 2014.

“This fourth-consecutive Magnet designation underscores our continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of children,” said Todd Suntrapak, president and CEO of Valley Children’s.

To achieve Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit and a review by the Commission

“Each time Valley Children’s is evaluated, the bar of excellence goes up higher and higher, and each time our clinical teams have stepped up to meet and exceed those standards,” said Beverly Hayden-Pugh, Chief Nursing Officer at Valley Children’s. “This achievement is remarkable and I am most proud of what it truly signifies — a commitment to providing the best care for our kids.”

Valley Children’s celebrated the designation with a ceremony at the hospital on Monday.