Best Hospitals to Work for in Washington, D.C.

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Living in the District of Columbia means proximity to dozens of monuments and museums — along with some of the top hospitals in the country. That equates to lots of opportunities for advancement and professional growth for nurses and other healthcare workers.

Want to know more? We’ve listed five of the best hospitals in Washington D.C. Read about them and plan your healthcare career in the nation’s capital.

Washington D.C.’s Top Hospital

• Children’s National Hospital
• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
• MedStar Washington Hospital Center
• Sibley Memorial Hospital
• The George Washington University Hospital

Best Hospitals in Washington, D.C.

The following organizations are rated as top hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. There are two independent rankings: the specialty ranking, related to areas of focus such as cancer and geriatrics, and the procedures and conditions ranking, for health issues like hip replacement and heart failure. The overall ranking considers patient outcomes and the processes of the facilities. 

We’ve also supplemented our list with reliable sources such as Medicare, Healthgrades and The Leapfrog Group. 

Children’s National Hospital*

Children’s National Hospital has Magnet status, which is a recognition created by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for hospitals with high standards of care, such as consistently high patient satisfaction and nursing satisfaction scores. 

The facility is ranked No. 1 in Washington, D.C., No. 5 across the country and is nationally ranked in 10 childrens’ specialties, such as neonatology, pediatric cancer and pediatric nephrology, by U.S. News & World Report.

Children’s National Hospital, which is also a Level I pediatric trauma center, was ranked No. 11 among the best children’s hospitals in the world by Newsweek. It was named as a LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Learn more about Children’s National Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Employees: 6,800

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital*

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is a Magnet hospital, and was also named one of the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek in 2022.

The organization is ranked No. 3 in Washington, D.C., is nationally ranked in cancer and is rated high performing in five adult specialties and six procedures or conditions, such as lung cancer surgery and kidney failure, by U.S. News & World Report.

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital was designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and received the Beacon Award for Excellence in various health services, including a gold level award for its excellence in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and neurosciences.

The federal government gave it a three-star rating.

Learn more about MedStar Georgetown University Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Hospital network: 10 facilities
• Employees: 4,000+

MedStar Washington Hospital Center*

MedStar Washington Hospital Center is ranked No. 2 in Washington, D.C., and is nationally ranked in cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

The facility is the largest hospital in the District of Columbia and The Joint Commission accredited it for its excellence in general medical care and behavioral health care and human services.

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

Learn more about MedStar Washington Hospital Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Hospital network: 1850 facilities
• Employees: 4,000+

Sibley Memorial Hospital

Sibley Memorial Hospital, a member of the Johns Hopskins health system, is ranked No. 7 in Washington, D.C., and is rated high performing in nine procedures or conditions, including  colon cancer surgery, kidney failure and stroke, by U.S. News & World Report.

Its emergency department received the Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association (ECA) for its excellence in emergency nursing, and it was designated one of healthcare’s most wired organizations by The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). 

The facility has a “B” grade from The Leapfrog Group for its hospital safety and has a four-star rating from the federal government. 

Learn more about Sibley Memorial Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Hospital network: eight facilities
• Employees: 970+

The George Washington University Hospital

The George Washington University Hospital, or GW Hospital, is rated high performing in two adult specialties and six procedures or conditions, including lung cancer surgery, heart attack and heart failure, by U.S. News & World Report.  

The academic hospital, which is considered a Blue Distinction Center in Bariatric Surgery, was named a Top Hospital For Diversity by BlackDoctor.org (BDO), and it also received the Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award from Healthgrades. 

Learn more about The George Washington University Hospital:

• Administration: for-profit
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Employees: 2,600

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

What makes a best hospital in Washington, D.C.

There are many factors that make a hospital great, including good employee benefits and high patient satisfaction scores. Find out more below.

Benefits

High salaries may attract many candidates for a job, especially in D.C., where the average registered nurse salary is 19% higher than what is seen nationally. Many employers also offer competitive benefits, including wellness programs, financial services and discounts to leisure businesses.

Growth opportunity

In addition to good salaries and incentives, the best employers also provide career growth opportunities. If you’re a RN, you’ll probably find support to focus on a nursing specialty, such as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) or a nurse practitioner.

Employee satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is one of the metrics that helps determine the overall health of a business, including hospitals. Happy workers usually produce more and stay longer in the institution. On top of that, they are less likely to experience job fatigue, burnout and other work-related problems.

High patient satisfaction

Having satisfied patients helps them heal faster and feel better about the general experience in a health facility. Patient satisfaction is also an outcome frequently recognized by many healthcare certification programs, such as the Magnet program.

Other factors that make a top hospital

In addition to the above-listed factors, a health facility’s performance is also affected by other features, such as hospital safety and healthcare technology.

Safety record is critical

Standardized procedures are directly related to patient safety in hospitals. They identify and prevent risks by ensuring resources, such as medications, are utilized properly.

Hospital policies focus on customer services 

A customer-centric approach in healthcare includes avoiding unnecessary arguments with patients, being polite, maintaining proper eye contact and remembering patients’ names.

Latest technology and training improve healthcare

In general, technology — like telehealth — solves a variety of problems and improves accessibility and scalability.

Ethics lead the way

Making decisions regarding refusal of care, measures of infection control and other public health topics may raise discussions. But the best hospitals have strong ethical values that guide their professionals.

Next steps

Working for the best hospitals in Washington, D.C,. could be a big step in your career, whether you’re an experienced nurse or a recent graduate.

Read our guides and get help on your professional journey.

Build your resume

A well-written resume increases your chances of being selected by recruiters. Make your nursing resume stand out with our guide.

Join a nurses association

One of the requirements to have a prominent resume is demonstrating knowledge. By joining a nursing organization, you can receive the latest guidelines for many nursing specialties. Joining a nursing union, on the other hand, will help you contribute to better working conditions.

Attend industry educational conferences and workshops

Attending workshops and nursing conferences is another way to acquire knowledge for your future employer.

Keep up with continuing education requirements

Washington, D.C., requires Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from nurses so they can maintain their license. 

To make this easy for you, we provide free Washington D.C. CEU courses. Sign up today!

Search for job openings

Searching on generic job sites won’t help you find opportunities in the best hospital for your needs. We developed a marketplace technology that matches nurses and employers with the highest compatibility possible. Also, nurses receive a new interview request every two minutes.

Join Incredible Health today and stop waiting for recruiters.

Transfer your nursing license to Washington, D.C.

If you decide to work in Washington, D.C., but you’re from another state, it’s not a problem. Learn about the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and transfer your nursing license. We’ve prepared a guide to simplify these rules for you.

Top Washington D.C. RN jobs on Incredible Health