Description/Overview: Improvement of quality of care and professionalism of nurses are key factors in impacting the delivery of care to patients in the hospital. This presentation will provide information on how an effective Leader-Manager-Nurse Practitioner team can enhance and improve the unit environment. Drawing from the experience of a successful team in a large community High Risk Labor & Delivery setting, the Director of Women's and Newborns Services will discuss the vision and implementation of bringing a unit-based Nurse Practitioner to the unit. The Unit Manager will discuss how the Nurse Practitioner has impacted the quality of care and professionalism on the unit. The Nurse Practitioner will describe her role on the unit and how she interfaces with the physicans, staff and management. Emphasis will be placed on how to budget for this position and how to obtain buy-in from administration and physicians.

Learner Objective #1: Discuss three ways unit-based Nurse Practitioners can improve professionalism on the patient care unit.

Learner Objective #2: State two ways to elicit leadership support for unit-based Nurse Practitioners.