Part of having an excellent community are the amenities and services it offers. Beyond City services, this includes things like parks, golf courses, restaurants, and, very importantly, healthcare. Well, Pekin can put another feather in its cap on that front – Pekin Hospital has been designated a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a designation that only 10% of hospitals across the nation have received.

This prestigious recognition comes after a 7-year dedicated effort to improve Pekin Hospital. Asking Tony Howard, VP of Support Services and Pekin Hospital Administrator, about how this designation came about, he noted by integrating nurses and patient families into the management strategies for safety and other desirable patient outcomes, they ensure “leadership partners with those at the bedside.” The new era of outstanding service has led to Pekin Hospital outperforming national benchmarks in hospital-acquired injuries and infections, transfer time from emergency rooms to care intervention, and patient and nurse satisfaction. In reviewing performance in these areas, the Magnet Program Office voted unanimously to award the designation to Pekin Hospital according to Howard.

So, what does this mean for Pekin Hospital and the community? Howard noted that research continues to show Magnet organizations have higher nurse satisfaction and lower job turnover; “Last year, Pekin Hospital had zero turnover within the first year of hire for our in-patient RNs which can be attributed to our culture of being a Magnet organization,” said Howard. “When team members see the Magnet Designated logo, they can know that the organization values the voice of their team members.” In addition to attracting and retaining nurses, patients coming to Pekin Hospital will be able to have confidence in the care teams and know that the organization values patient input and places patient care at the top of the priority list.

Howard also stated, “We strongly feel that Pekin Hospital is essential to the health and wellness of our community. This is why we continue to align best practices across our region ensuring the Pekin community has access to high-quality care with the familiar faces of our nursing and healthcare teams. We are deeply proud of the nursing teams at Pekin Hospital for their dedication and care of the patients. They have worked hard and have been able to achieve this impressive designation!” We at the City couldn’t agree more, and we welcome everyone in Pekin to join us in congratulating Pekin Hospital!

July 4: Honor America Celebration & Opening of Pekin Time Capsule

July 6: Bicentennial Bash – Mineral Springs Park

July 27: Downtown SuperCruise

August 24: Downtown Concert Series – Revel in Red

September 4: Taste of Pekin

September 5-8: Pekin Marigold Festival

September 28: Downtown Concert Series – Stone Cold Cowboys & Mixtape Mayhem

December 6: Christmas on Court