Best Hospitals to Work for in Maryland

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Maryland is a state with many opportunities for nurses. For instance, you could work at Johns Hopkins Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the world. 

In this article, we’ve named six Magnet hospitals — a designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). An organization with this designation has been evaluated as the gold standard in many aspects, such as nursing leadership and policies that encourage nurses to voice their concerns.

Maryland’s Top Hospital

• Frederick Health Hospital
• Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center
• MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
• Mercy Medical Center
• The Johns Hopkins Hospital
• University of Maryland Medical Center

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Best Hospitals in Maryland

We’ve listed the top hospitals with Magnet status located in Maryland. We’ve also based our research on reliable sources such as Medicare and U.S. News & World Report. 

Frederick Health Hospital*

Frederick Health, also known as Frederick Regional Hospital, is rated high performing in heart failure, diabetes, stroke and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by U.S. News & World Report.

In 2022, the hospital was named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals from Healthgrades.

The organization also has a three-star rating from the federal government.

Learn more about Frederick Health:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Frederick, Maryland
• Hospital network: five facilities
• Employees: 3,300 (across the entire network)

Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center

Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center is ranked No. 6 in Maryland and is rated high performing in several procedures or conditions, including colon cancer surgery, heart failure and maternity care, by U.S. News & World Report.

The hospital received the Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines – Stroke quality achievement award from the American Heart Association in 2022 and the American Association for Respiratory Care Apex Recognition Award in 2021. It also has a four-star rating from the federal government. 

Learn more about Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Annapolis, Maryland
• Hospital network: three facilities
• Employees: 5,000+ (across the entire network)

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center*

This Magnet hospital is one of the largest employers in Baltimore County and is rated high performing in several procedures or conditions, such as lung cancer surgery, heart failure, and diabetes, by U.S. News & World Report.

The facility has received The Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for its healthcare quality. It was the first hospital in the Baltimore area to be recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program from the Cribs for Kids for educating parents on safe sleep practices for infants and also received a “B” grade from The Leapfrog Group for hospital safety.

The federal government gave it a two-star rating.

Learn more about MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Hospital network: 10 facilities 
• Employees: 3,500+

Mercy Medical Center

Mercy Medical Center, or The Bunting Center, is rated high performing in colon cancer surgery, back surgery, hip replacement and knee replacement by U.S. News & World Report.

The facility, which is the main hospital of Mercy’s Downtown Baltimore campus, was named one of America’s Best Midsize Employers by Forbes in 2022 and has received the gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) in 2021.

The Leapfrog Group gave it an “A” grade for its hospital safety and the federal government gave it a five-star rating.

Learn more about Mercy Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Hospital network: seven facilities

The Johns Hopkins Hospital*

The teaching hospital of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is ranked No. 1 in Maryland and No. 4 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll by U.S. News & World Report. 

The Magnet hospital also ranked No. 6 among the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek in 2022 and has received an “A” grade from The Leapfrog Group for hospital safety in 2021.

Johns Hopkins Hospital, one of Maryland’s largest private employers, is accredited by The Joint Commission.

The institution has been designated as a Level 9 by The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) for its frequent use of technologies in innovative ways, which encourages adoption across the entire organization. The federal government gave it a four-star rating.

Learn more about The Johns Hopkins Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Hospital network: six facilities 
• Employees: 40,000+ 
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:4 – 1:5

University of Maryland Medical Center

The University of Maryland Medical Center is ranked No. 2 in Maryland and is rated high performing in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. 

The teaching hospital, considered the highest-volume trauma center in the country, received the Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and achieved the Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Center from the American Heart Association.

The Leapfrog Group gave it a “B” grade for hospital safety and the federal government gave it a two-star rating.

Learn more about The University of Maryland Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Hospital network: two facilities
• Employees: 6,500 

*Incredible Health helps these hospitals find permanent nurses. Sign up to get matched with nursing jobs!

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What makes a best hospital in Maryland

Knowing about the best hospitals to work for in Maryland might lead you to wonder what features make them stand out. Here are some of them:

Benefits

Productivity and a sense of belonging in the workplace don’t only come from salary. It’s the result of a whole employee benefits program, which includes wellness initiatives, employee assistance and financial services, for instance. 

Growth opportunity

Career growth is important because it opens up new challenges and this helps you strengthen your skills. When you start as a registered nurse (RN), having a master’s degree through a certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) program is an option of specialization. Alternatively, to become a nurse practitioner (NP), you must have the equivalent degree and pass the NP board certification exam.

Employee satisfaction

While in many companies employee productivity and job satisfaction are common challenges, top hospitals that invest in benefits and staff safety take it all in stride. And not only that, they also prevent nurses from suffering from work fatigue or burnout.

High patient satisfaction

Improving communication, reducing patient wait time and listening to feedback are examples of how the best hospitals in Maryland increase patient satisfaction. 

Other factors that make a top hospital

Besides benefits, growth opportunities and patient experience, here are a few additional factors that help a hospital become a dream workplace for nurses.

Safety record is critical

Top hospitals are easily identified by their infection control initiatives and high standards on the use of medical resources.

Hospital policies focus on customer services 

High-performing hospitals provide great customer service through privacy compliance checklists and training for complex situations, among other initiatives.

Latest technology and training improve healthcare

According to KPMG, the use of technology in healthcare makes a nurse’s daily routine easier and provides accurate patient data, which leads to improved interventions. Your career will progress if you work for an employer with this mindset.

Ethics lead the way

Magnet and high-performing hospitals also place a high priority on ethics, which assist employees in recognizing healthcare dilemmas and making moral and legal decisions.

Next steps

Working in one of the above-mentioned Maryland hospitals may be an amazing part of your career, whether you are an experienced nurse or a recent RN. 

If you don’t know what to do to achieve this, continue reading to learn how to land your ideal position as a nurse in one of Maryland’s top medical facilities.

Build your resume

Candidates’ skills and experience are important to employers. Check our nursing resume guide, based on AACN guidelines, to read more tips.

Join a nurses association

You can also boost your resume with knowledge and skills by joining a nursing organization. On the other hand, if you’re more inclined to advocate for specific interests, such as better wages, joining a nursing union may be the right choice.

Attend industry educational conferences and workshops

Besides nursing organizations, attending nursing conferences is another way to keep up to date on healthcare. You can also read different points of view on subjects that may interest you in our Maryland nurse advice section.

Keep up with continuing education requirements

Every great healthcare professional is also a lifelong learner. While Maryland doesn’t require  Continuing Education Units (CEUs), employers have their own requirements.

Take our free courses to make yourself stand out.  

Search for job openings

It’s 2022 and seeking a job can be easier than ever. Sign up on Incredible Health, get hired, and never be left hanging by a recruiter again.

Transfer your nursing license to Maryland

Maryland was one of the first states to pass the Nurse Licensure Compact legislation. There are procedures to follow if you’re not from the Free State.  Read this guide and know everything you need to transfer your nursing license.

Sources

• “ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®.” nursingworld.org. Accessed July 6, 2022.
• “Healthcare technology transformation trends in the United States” home.kpmg. Accessed July 6, 2022.
• Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. leapfroggroup.org Accessed July 6, 2022.
• Medicare. medicare.gov. Accessed July 6, 2022.
• “U.S. News Best Hospitals.” health.usnews.com. Accessed July 6, 2022.