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There are plenty of lists that rank hospitals based on outcomes, awards and having top docs, but those good things don't always trickle down enough to make working as a nurse in the facility a positive experience.
In the ADVANCE Readers' Choice survey, we asked nurses to rank hospitals based on elements that would make a difference to them: quality of care, organizational culture, communication, professional development and retention efforts. 
Methodology
ADVANCE provided a list of 158 hospitals in the areas of MD/DC/VA and invited readers to rank their facility by responding on a 1-5 scale to 10 statements in five different categories, 1 being "strongly disagree" to 5 which is "strongly agree." The survey ran on the ADVANCE for Nurses Web site from March 31 to July 31.
From this list of hospitals posted on the Web, participants voted on 60 different hospitals. A minimum number of three participants had to vote on a hospital for it to be part of the calculations. Twenty hospitals made that cut.
We then took the total score for each question and determined the average score per hospital per category. The highest scoring hospitals in each of the categories are listed, and the two hospitals to score highest in all five categories are listed in the Honor Roll.
Honor Roll
These 2 hospitals scored in all 5 categories of the survey:
"Georgetown University Hospital stands out because there is no part of our professional nursing environment that has not been profoundly affected by our commitment to maintaining excellence in the Magnet standards. Meeting and exceeding these standards, the highest in nursing, undoubtedly positioned us to earn this prestigious Honor Roll listing. Principal among them are a vibrant shared governance system directly involving more than 140 staff nurses; open two-way vertical and lateral communication vehicles; and pride in our national reputation for nursing research based on 18 IRB- [institutional review board] approved, nurse-led studies. We pay continual attention to meeting the diverse needs of our staff; offer generous certification and academic development programs for our 86 percent BSN-and-above staff; and create a nursing culture of responsibility for performance improvement and quality."
- Joyce E. Johnson, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
senior vice president for operations and chief nursing officer,
Georgetown University Hospital
"We are thrilled to be on the ADVANCE for Nurses Honor Roll, and so recognized by your readers! Johns Hopkins Hospital has intentionally built a care model that allows nurses to practice safely and take the lead to improve patient care. The professional nursing staff at Hopkins brings intellectual rigor, ethical conduct and emotional competence to their practice. They recognize and celebrate the talents of their colleagues; they value positive relationships, shared governance and mutual accountability. These characteristics make for a good working environment."
- Karen Haller, PhD, RN
vice president for nursing and patient care services,
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Hospitals Rated High in Retention Efforts
"At Good Samaritan Hospital, we feel retention is more important than recruitment. We offer a comprehensive package to include competitive salaries, tuition reimbursement, clinical ladder and career development to incentivize employees from leaving."
- Kelly Bonsol, BSN, RN
RN recruiter,
Good Samaritan Hospital
"The extra money in the pension at Good Samaritan Hospital is great for the employees who are fully vested."
- Michele Pitt, BSN, RN
rehabilitation nursing,
Good Samaritan Hospital
"Being the only male on my unit, Prince William Hospital and my fellow nurses have created an environment of acceptance and unity unlike any other."
- Dana Gelb, RN
coronary care unit,
Prince William Hospital
"Each of us at Georgetown University Hospital is made to feel we are a unique and a cherished contribution to the organization. This, of course, increases nursing satisfaction and contributes to our high level of nurse retention."
- Justine DeWitt, BSN, RN, OCN
inpatient hematology/oncology,
Georgetown University Hospital
"Prince William Hospital is not only committed to patients, their families and the community, but also to fostering a sense of caring and community among the staff. I have been on the receiving end of the care and know staff is genuinely concerned about the patient's well-being, comfort and safety."
- Julia Burgess, MSN, RN, CCRN
Prince William Hospital
"Everyone who works at Prince William Hospital shows great respect toward each other. Employees stay here because everyone is supportive of one another. A lot of us have developed strong friendships with our co-workers and physicians."
- April Potter, BSN, RN
Prince William Hospital
"Nurses at Prince William Hospital are given the opportunity to grow professionally through the clinical ladder, educational options and flexible scheduling. This allows us to provide excellent care to our patients and their families."
- Mar Tortajada, BSN, RN
Prince William Hospital
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