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Ask the expert: Prepare staff nurses for the site visit with five strategies

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, June 2, 2009

This week, a reader asks how to prepare staff nurses for the site visit if the written documentation passes evaluation. Read the response from advisor Gina Boring, MSN, RN, NE-BC, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® (MRP) director at Aultman Health Foundation in Canton, OH.

Q: As the project coordinator, how can I prepare staff nurses for the site visit?

A: If the documentation passes evaluation, your institution will earn a site visit. The project coordinator/director prepares the staff throughout the organization for the site visit by executing a plan with nursing leadership, shared governance councils, and MRP champions. Staff members should be able to speak from their hearts about the care they provide, the contributions they make to improve patient care and outcomes, and the environment in which they work.

To prepare staff for a site visit, consider the following strategies:

1. Create a survey pocket guide that has a copy of the standards with a section at the end of each standard labeled "key take aways" and "potential questions"
2. Create a crossword puzzle or word search with designation-related words
3. Conduct a mock site visit where you perform brief interviews
4. Ask another project coordinator/director from a designated facility to come to your organization and speak about his or her site visit experience
5. Ensure nursing staff are comfortable speaking about nurse-sensitive indicator results, scheduling processes, evidence-based practice and research, and how they are involved in decision making

Do you have a question for our experts? If you would like us to consider your query for publication, please e-mail it to senior managing editor Rebecca Hendren at rhendren@hcpro.com.

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