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Children’s Nebraska Achieves Fifth Consecutive Magnet® Recognition and Magnet® with Distinction – the Highest Honor for Nursing Excellence

Historic milestone places Children’s among the nation’s most elite hospitals for professional nursing practice.

Omaha, Neb. – Children’s Nebraska has once again achieved Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), earning the prestigious designation for nursing excellence for the fifth consecutive time. In addition, Children’s Nebraska received its first Magnet® with Distinction recognition, an elevated honor recognizing the highest-performing Magnet organizations in the country. Fewer than 70 hospitals in the United States have earned this elite recognition. For families of patients at Children’s, this affirms their child is cared for by one of the best nursing teams in the country. “This extraordinary recognition affirms the strength of our nursing team and the high quality of care they provide for children and families,” said Chanda Chacón, MPH, FACHE, president & CEO of Children’s Nebraska. “This honor belongs to our outstanding nurses and speaks to the culture of collaboration, compassion and accountability they have built.”  
 
The ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® is the most prestigious credential a healthcare organization can receive for nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes. Magnet® with Distinction, introduced in 2023, raises the bar further by recognizing organizations that exceed Magnet scoring thresholds and demonstrate exceptional performance in nursing excellence, innovation and outcomes. 
 
“Achieving Magnet® with Distinction is a historic milestone and among the highest honors in nursing,” said Pam Johnson-Carlson, DNP, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Children’s. “This achievement reflects the unwavering dedication of our nurses and nurse practitioners, whose leadership, engagement and compassion elevate the care we deliver every day. Our nursing team is deeply rooted in the values of the profession – not only through the expertise they bring to patient care, but also through the systems they build that embody transformational leadership at every level, strong professional engagement and a consistent pursuit of excellence in outcomes. Nursing excellence is made possible through the outstanding interdisciplinary partners we are privileged to work alongside in caring for our patients. I could not be prouder of our nursing team.” Hospitals that achieve Magnet® with Distinction consistently demonstrate:

  • High nurse engagement and job satisfaction

  • Low registered nurse turnover

  • Strong clinical outcomes and patient experience

  • A culture where professional growth, innovation and excellence are expected

Children’s Nebraska was also recognized with 12 exemplar categories – a testament to the organization’s leadership in quality, patient experience and nurse engagement, and its role as a national model for nursing excellence. Research shows patient families benefit from receiving care at Magnet-designated hospitals, experiencing improved outcomes, lower complication rates, fewer safety events and higher satisfaction with communication. Magnet organizations also foster healthier work environments that support recruitment, retention and professional development for nurses. Children’s Nebraska’s most recent and fourth designation as a Magnet organization was in 2021. Organizations must reapply every four years by demonstrating sustained excellence and measurable improvements in nursing practice and patient outcomes.

About Children’s Nebraska

Children’s Nebraska is the state’s leading pediatric healthcare provider, home to Nebraska’s only Level IV regional neonatal intensive care unit, the state’s first and only Level I pediatric trauma center and the only nationally ranked Level 4 epilepsy center dedicated exclusively to children. Recognized as a 2025–26 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Nebraska ranks among the nation’s best in Nephrology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Pulmonology and Lung Surgery. An independent, nonprofit organization, Children’s Nebraska leads with a People First philosophy and is consistently recognized for excellence as an employer, including honors from Forbes, the Women’s Choice Award and Mental Health America’s Gold Bell Seal. 

About ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program®

The Magnet Recognition Program – administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world – identifies healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit www.nursingworld.org/magnet.