Turning Vision into an Aspirational Collaboration through the Magnet4Europe Twinning Partnership - The Journey Continues

By Dale Beatty, Stanford Health Care, and Marie Sjödin, Uppsala University Hospital

"Discover the extraordinary collaboration journey between Stanford Health Care and Uppsala University Hospital through the Magnet4Europe Twinning Partnership. This exceptional alliance, rooted in mutual learning and respect for cultural and structural differences, has facilitated profound knowledge exchange, immersive learning experiences, and the exploration of new opportunities. As these twinned hospitals forge ahead to enhance nursing excellence and foster interprofessional collaboration, they are reshaping the future of healthcare. The journey continues for this twinned hospital's aspirational collaboration as they intend to transform patient care, spark inspiration, and open doors to remarkable possibilities."

Stanford Health Care, a four-time Magnet designated Level I Trauma Academic Medical Hospital in Stanford, California, and Uppsala University Hospital, also a Level I Trauma Academic Medical Center in Uppsala, Sweden, have had a longstanding connection through an International Knowledge Exchange Program in 2014. The Magnet4Europe Project intensified and formalized this relationship, as the two healthcare institutions officially became M4E twinned partners in 2021. ​

Embarking on a transformative journey, following regular monthly virtual meetings and in-person connections during the M4E Learning Collaborative in Cork, Ireland (May 2022), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Magnet Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (October 2022), this twinned partnership has established a robust agenda for in-person collaborative Magnet learning. Led by Dr. Dale Beatty, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nurse Executive (CNE), and Vice President of Patient Care Services, the Stanford M4E team has embraced extraordinary opportunities for immersive mutual learning during the US partner's visit to Uppsala University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden. This enlightening experience not only supports the twinned partnership's aspirational vision but was also made possible through the gracious welcome extended by Marie Sjödin, Chief Nurse Officer of Uppsala University Hospital.

The ongoing aspirational journey has achieved several milestones, met learning goals, and opened opportunities to spark inspiration and guide steps toward elevating nursing excellence, improving outcomes, and enhancing interprofessional collaboration for the twinned hospitals. ​

One of the significant milestones during Stanford Health Care's recent visit to Uppsala University Hospital was the opportunity to connect with interprofessional leaders in the organization. Many of Uppsala University Hospital's nurse and interprofessional leaders presented their work on multidisciplinary initiatives, quality metrics and a bundle of care, wellness center, educational simulation resource center, and the nursing framework called the "Fundamentals of Care." Dr. Dale Beatty delivered several presentations and opened multiple discussions highlighting Magnet, Transformational Leadership, Interprofessional Collaboration, and Empirical Outcomes. Uppsala University Hospital also hosted a Nursing Leadership Network Conference, attended by nurses and interprofessional leaders at all levels from the organization and nearby hospitals. This forum, hosted by Uppsala University Hospital's Chief Nurse Officer (Marie Sjödin), featured guest speakers such as the Chief Nurse Officer of Sweden (Charlotta George), the Chief Nurse Officer of Skane Hospital (David Sparv), and the Chief Nurse Executive of Stanford Health Care (Dale Beatty), who presented on healthcare issues, best practices learned and offered by the Magnet program, transformational leadership, and their impact on patient safety and employee well-being.

By the end of the four-day visit to Uppsala, these twinned hospital teams of leaders found themselves literally and metaphorically journeying to convene with the rest of the Magnet4Europe learning collaborative in Oslo, Norway. This 2023 M4E learning collaborative provided an opportunity for many other hospitals participating in the M4E project to share their journey, disseminate lessons learned, and highlight their experiences. 

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This milestone for the twinned partners once again showcased the twinned hospital leaders' exceptional chemistry of caring, respect for cultural and structural differences, and a strong commitment to their ongoing aspirational vision with a particular focus on "people." Marie Sjödin and Dale Beatty kept the crowd of over 200 attendees engaged with their joint presentation titled "The Evolution of Nursing Shared Governance at Uppsala University Hospital & Stanford Health Care: Empowering Staff to Enrich the Work Environment and Improve Patient Care Quality."

The immersive learning opportunity in Uppsala, Sweden, and the 2023 Magnet4Europe Learning Collaborative in Oslo, Norway, left this twinned partner feeling empowered to continue forging the path for a New Future for Nursing through the Magnet4Europe Twinning Program. ​

The collaboration between the twinned hospitals has yielded increased knowledge and insights into the Magnet model and its components at Uppsala University Hospital. Furthermore, Uppsala University Hospital has formulated an action plan with valuable support and collaboration from Stanford Health Care. As per the Uppsala M4E team, having a partner to consult and receive support from has been instrumental in their progress and highly valuable for Uppsala University Hospital's transformative vision. The next steps on this journey involve discussing potential opportunities and plans for the Uppsala University Hospital M4E team to visit their US partner, Stanford Health Care, in California, USA.

The journey continues…