Communicating nursing's excellence and value: on the way to Magnet.

Effective communication is essential as nurses convey their critical impact in care delivery. As part of Magnet readiness, the Main Line Health System engaged a nationally recognized expert to develop a communications strategy for staff nurses and front-line managers. This initiative was driven by the chief nursing officer and the nursing leadership team. The goal was to refine communication skills of the nursing staff to tell their story of the Magnet work achieved as well as to better prepare staff to clearly articulate the essential elements of their work in all settings. The result was clinical nurses who were able to articulate their unique value in a changing health care world clearly.