Shared Leadership
Nursing decision-making and nursing autonomy regarding nursing practice
A. Nursing Leadership Council
The Nursing Leadership Council provides strategic planning for patient care services in conjunction with St. Lucie Medical Center’s vision.
Membership:
Membership shall include the Chief Nursing Officer as the chairman of the council, all nursing directors, Director of Quality assistant directors/nurse managers, administrative supervisors and Assistant Director of Education.Purpose:
The nursing leadership council shall discuss, research, plan and deploy nursing initiatives to support the strategic plan for Nursing at St. Lucie Medical Center.
Responsibilities:
- Identify priority nursing issues, plan for interventions and deploy strategies.
- Develop and maintain nursing standards of practice.
- Provide for a culture of optimal professional practice and positive communications.
- Ensuring the appropriate material and human resources necessary to meet patient care requirements.
B. Nursing Professional Practice Council
The Nursing Professional Practice Council shall define the standards, policies, procedures, models, and approaches for clinical practice and patient care delivery.
Membership:
Membership shall be drawn from the professional nursing staff with representation from each of the eight nursing departments (ED, ICU, PCU, Surgical Services, Ortho/Neuro, Medical/Oncology/Pediatrics, General Medical/Surgical, and Obstetrics Departments). A representative from a procedural unit (Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Special procedures, Wound Care Clinic) and Quality Department is also included. Members may volunteer from the professional nursing staff.
A nursing director will be appointed as the Chairperson of this council. A co-chairperson will be elected from the committee membership.
Purpose:
The Nursing Professional Practice Council (NPPC) at St. Lucie Medical Center is accountable for the advancement of professional nursing practice. The council shall define standards, policies, procedures, models, and approaches for clinical practice and care delivery.
Responsibilities:
- Review and approve Nursing Policies and Procedures and Standards of Nursing Practice.
- Assess, participate and respond to concerns and issues that directly affect or alter nursing practice or patient outcomes.
- Determine and communicate the need for changes in clinical practice to other appropriate councils.
- Identify the need for development of new or revised standards or policies related to research findings, new technology, and/or new defined practice standards.
- Incorporate nursing research findings into clinical practice as appropriate.
- Participate in the redesign of the patient care module – computerized patient care documentation system.
- Ensure consistency of policies and procedures developed at unit and department level, and develops a communication plan for informing and educating clinical nurses about new policies and/or procedures.
C. Nursing Quality Council
The Nursing Quality Council provides a forum to develop and review nursing quality indicators. It defines and measures key processes of patient care, monitors performance through data collection, and designs processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness of patient care.
Membership:
Membership shall be drawn from the professional nursing staff with representation from each of the eight nursing departments (ED, ICU, PCU, Surgical Services, Ortho/Neuro, Medical/Oncology/Pediatrics, General Medical/Surgical, and Obstetrics Departments). A representative from a procedural unit (Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Special procedures, Wound Care Clinic) and Quality Department is also included. Members may volunteer from the professional nursing staff.
A nursing director will be appointed as the Chairperson of this council. A co-chairperson will be elected from the committee membership.
Purpose:
The nursing quality council shall prioritize, measure, employ performance improvement measures and evaluate outcomes within the scope of the council’s responsibility.
Responsibilities:
- Report National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators – nursing sensitive outcomes quarterly.
- Review and evaluate nursing sensitive indicators.
- Identify trends, patterns of performance, or potential problems that affect more than one unit, and recommend follow up as necessary.
- Communicate trends to all staff to prevent reoccurrence of negative trends as identified.
- Conduct nursing peer review.
- Collaborate with other disciplines to monitor and evaluate compliance to standards and makes recommendations for continuous quality improvement.
- Monitor and ensure compliance with established state, federal and regulatory standards.
D. Nursing Professional Development Council
The Nursing Professional Development Council shall assess the education needs of staff, plan and implement programs/processes to meet those needs and evaluate the status and consistency of staff education in order to improve patient outcomes and increase professional nursing satisfaction.
Membership:
Membership shall be drawn from the professional nursing staff with representation from each of the eight nursing departments (ED, ICU, PCU, Surgical Services, Ortho/Neuro, Medical/Oncology/Pediatrics, General Medical/Surgical, and Obstetrics Departments). A representative from a procedural unit (Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Special procedures, Wound Care Clinic) and Quality Department is also included. Members may volunteer from the professional nursing staff.
A nursing director will be appointed as the Chairperson of this council. A co-chairperson will be elected from the committee membership.
Purpose:
The Professional Development Council defines, implements, and maintains educational standards that promote professional growth and ongoing clinical competency.
Responsibilities:
- Define and evaluate nursing education needs and determine the process to meet the educational needs of the staff in conjunction with the Education Department.
- Promote nurses individual accountability for mandatory education and facilitates credentialing/recertification process.
- Define preceptor roles and responsibilities.
- Foster an environment conducive to the advancement and utilization of nursing research.
- Participate in the development of educational programs to assist nursing staff in the implementation of the patient care delivery system.
- Participate in the development of competency based orientation programs including unit specific protocols and specialty classes.
- Review the clinical ladder process as needed to promote an environment of professional growth for nurses.
- Plan and carry out activities for Nurses week as a means of recognition for all nurses in the organization.
E. Nursing Research Council
The Nursing Research Council shall identify, promote and facilitate the implementation of evidence-based nursing practice. In addition, this council shall promote nursing research initiatives to frontline professional nursing staff.
Membership:
Membership shall include representatives from nursing at all levels and other disciplines as appropriate and select guests based on their research interests and abilities.
Purpose:
The Nursing Research Council shall coordinate and promote nursing research activities and the dissemination of research findings to frontline staff and to evaluate outcomes based on research objectives. The council shall promote the use of current literature to influence change in administrative and clinical practice and encourage overall nursing involvement in shaping nursing research infrastructure, capacity and mentorship.
Responsibilities:
- Review and approve, if appropriate all nursing research protocols.
- Maintain central registry of all research studies at St. Lucie Medical Center.
- Promote the dissemination of research findings to front-line staff.
- Maintain resources that promote access to current literature and evidence-based protocols.
- Educate and mentor staff nurses in research and evidence based practice activities.
- Participate in nursing research and nursing research utilization activities.
- If performing nursing research or other replication studies, ensure the protection of human rights in research subjects through the development of policies and staff education.
F. Unit Practice Council
The Unit Practice Council shall prioritize, integrate and measure nursing care to maximize clinical outcomes, and to evaluate services and outcomes within the scope of professional nursing practice. In addition the Unit Practice Council shall analyze process improvement data and recommend action plans to make necessary improvement.
Membership:
Membership shall consist of unit representatives from facility-wide nursing councils. An appointed facilitator (not a member of the management team) shall actively participate. Additional members may be nominated, elected, or may volunteer from the unit nursing staff.
Purpose:
The Unit Practice Council shall be active in making decisions related to nursing practice and overall patient care on that unit. Each member of this council will be responsible for disseminating critical information to the rest of the nursing staff on their unit.
Responsibilities:
- Coordinate and measure outcomes of patient care.
- Review and identify trends, patterns of performance or potential problems that affect the unit and recommend any practice change, educational update or any follow up that may be necessary.
- The Unit Practice Council chairman will prepare a composite quarterly report of all P.I. activities, accomplishments and results and submit report to the Nursing Quality Council.