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At the Alaska Native Medical Center, clinical nurses have a strong voice in leadership at all levels of the organization. As part of the Shared Governance structure, the President of the Nursing Staff (PNS) is the elected voice of nursing. This unique role is critical to the success of Evidence Based Practice in the organization. The PNS is the connector and ensures that staff are informed and engaged in the process. The PNS chairs the Nursing Coordinating Council and the All-Council meetings. As a strong organizer, communicator and disseminator, the PNS helps ensure that the point-of-care staff has the tools that they need to be successful. The PNS has established a network of communication tools, including timelines, a shared drive, a PNS web page and staff networking sessions with the nurse executive. The PNS provides mentoring for the staff that accept leadership roles such as council chair or evidence-based practice team leader.

The PNS also ensures that nursing is well connected to all of the other disciplines through participation on key committees and council's throughout the organization. The PNS is a voting member of the Joint Conference Committee at the hospital board level and a frequent presenter at the Medical Executive Committee. With all of these connections throughout the organization, the PNS can make a significant contribution to spreading innovation and ensuring the success of evidence-based practice and nursing research initiatives.