| Learning Objective #1: Describe how advanced nursing practice can facilitate front-line leadership in the provision of quality care | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss effective strategies used to enhance practice and evaluate the outcomes |
The practice environment has become a fast-paced, information intensive world in which nurses strive to make a difference, manage the change and contribute to quality care all while they look for strategies to keep up and stay current. In a large level three newborn intensive care unit in a large metropolitan city, advanced practice nurses, educators, managers and staff nurses worked together to develop a shared governance model to enhance communication, maximize input into decisions and to enhance nurses= control of their work life. This led to the establishment of a Nursing Practice Council under the hospices of the Nursing Advisory Council.
The Practice Council was charged with defining its terms of reference, establishing processes for identification of practice priorities and facilitating the use of evidence-based patient care practices in the NICU. A member nomination process was defined and implemented resulting in the appointment of 4 highly motivated staff nurses, one of whom is the council chair, two clinical nurse specialist-nurse practitioners (CNS-NP), one of whom serves as facilitator, nurse educators and a clinical leader.
This paper will describe the infrastructure of the council and the processes it has established to identify and address practice issues. The nature of CNS-NP role and responsibilities with respect to facilitating quality patient care, evidence-based practice and front-line leadership will be described. Specific examples of the practice initiatives, grounded in relevant literature, will be presented and outcomes will be highlighted. Successes and challenges as well as future directions for the council will be addressed.
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