UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies earns fourth Magnet designation for nursing excellence

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LOVELAND, Colo. (Oct. 27, 2025) – UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies has once again earned national recognition for nursing excellence, achieving its fourth consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) – a distinction held by fewer than 10% of hospitals in the country. 

Confetti cannons and cheers erupted in a conference room full of staff and leadership Friday afternoon as David Marshall, chair of the ANCC Commission on Magnet Recognition, shared the news on a virtual call that the commission had voted unanimously to re-designate MCR. 

The Magnet Recognition Program is considered the gold standard for nursing excellence and quality patient care. To earn the designation, hospitals must undergo a rigorous evaluation process and demonstrate superior outcomes in patient care, nursing satisfaction, and clinical performance. 

Marshall congratulated the MCR team for several areas where the hospital outperforms national benchmarks, including: 

• Infection prevention and patient safety across all inpatient units 
• Patient experience, particularly in education and safety 
• Higher education, with 83% of MCR’s registered nurses holding a bachelor’s degree or higher 

MCR achieved its first Magnet designation in 2010, which included a two-year monitoring phase plus a four-year designation term. This was followed by re-designations in 2016, 2021 and now 2025. 

MCR Chief Nursing Officer Jessie Willard praised the team’s resilience and commitment to excellence, especially through the challenges of the past four years. 

“We can’t do what we do to provide patient care without every single person in this hospital,” Willard said, adding that only 10 percent of hospital in the United States earn Magnet designations. “Even though change has been constant, our resilience and grit has never wavered.” 

Since MCR’s last Magnet re-designation, the hospital has expanded critical care services, earned Level I Trauma Center status and launched the interventional program for thrombectomy stroke care, among other significant achievements that advance the care provided. The hospital is also preparing to open a new inpatient pavilion next year. 

Kevin Unger, president and CEO of UCHealth’s Northern Colorado Region, commended the team for maintaining a perfect record of Magnet designations since first becoming eligible in 2010. 

“You’re having an impact on our community,” Unger said. “When you look at what you’re achieving from a patient experience and clinical outcomes perspective, you should be very, very proud of what you’re doing. 

For MCR to sustain its Magnet designation involved a rigorous application process with extensive documentation of examples, evidence and data outcomes. The program requires the hospital to outperform national benchmarks in key areas such as patient satisfaction, nurse satisfaction, and health outcomes that demonstrate the impact of nursing care. As part of the evaluation, a three-day site visit with ANCC Magnet appraisers is conducted to validate the hospital's practices and performance. 

Currently, 18 Colorado hospitals – including four at UCHealth – hold a Magnet designation. UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital received six designations, most recently in 2023. UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital also received six designations, most recently in January 2025. UCHealth Memorial Hospital received its first designation in 2023.