The Magnet journey in the first hospital in Latin America: nurses’ perception

Abstract Objective: To identify the relationship between Magnet designation and nurses’ perceptions of the work process at the first Magnet institution in Latin America and the impact that designation has on nursing at the institution. Methods: This is a descriptive-exploratory and qualitative study, carried out with tactical nursing leaders of an extra-port hospital in the city of São Paulo (SP). Data collection was carried out in 2023 through semi-structured interviews, using Bardin’s content analysis as a framework. Transkriptor and IRaMuTeq softwares were used to transcribe and analyze the interviews. Results: Eleven nurses involved in Magnet culture dissemination in the institution participated in the study. From the analysis of interviews, eight dimensions emerged, which were grouped into three categories: Nurses’ feelings after designation; Reflecting on the challenges after designation; Understanding the relevance of working in a Magnet hospital in Brazil. Conclusion: Nurses’ perceptions were linked to the feelings that emerged from achieving designation, with emphasis on the pride and personal satisfaction of belonging to a Magnet organization; the future challenges to maintain the standard of excellence in nursing; and achievement representativeness for the professional category at the national level. Achieving designation may inspire other institutions in the country to seek such recognition. Regarding the impact, nurses highlighted that, although Magnet designation was awarded to one institution, it highlighted the quality of Brazilian nursing.