The Magnet Recognition Program® was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to recognize health care organizations that provide nursing excellence. The program also provides a vehicle for disseminating successful nursing practices and strategies.

Recognizing quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in professional nursing practice, the Magnet Recognition Program provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive. When U.S. News & World Report publishes its annual showcase of "America's Best Hospitals," being an ANCC Magnet® organization contributes to the total score for quality of inpatient care. ANCC is one of only a few organizations providing outside data to the ranking methodology. In the 2009 listing, 15 of the top 21 (71%) medical centers featured in the prestigious Honor Roll are Magnet-recognized organizations. In the Children's Hospital Honor Roll, 9 of the top 10 (90%) hospitals are ANCC Magnet recognized. (July 20, 2009).

The Magnet Recognition Program is based on quality indicators and standards of nursing practice as defined in the newly revised 3rd edition of the ANA Nursing Administration: Scope & Standards of Practice (2009). The Scope and Standards for Nurse Administrators and other "foundational documents" form the base upon which the Magnet environment is built. The Magnet designation process includes the appraisal of qualitative factors in nursing. These factors, referred to as "Forces of Magnetism" were first identified through research done in 1983.

The full expression of the Forces embodies a professional environment guided by a strong visionary nursing leader who advocates and supports development and excellence in nursing practice. As a natural outcome of this, the program elevates the reputation and standards of the nursing profession.