UPMC ST. MARGARET UPMC ST. MARGARET HARMAR OUTPATIENT CENTER By-laws of the Professional Practice Council Article I: Mission Statement The mission of the UPMC St. Margaret Professional Practice Council is to serve as the vehicle by which the voices of all professional nurses within UPMC St. Margaret act as a catalyst by bringing together knowledge, information, and problem-solving solutions to initiate change that promotes the best nursing practice for our patients. (Adopted from UPMC System Professional Practice Council) Goals/Objectives 1. Establish a forum comprised of professional nurses to generate and discuss issues that impact not only the delivery of patient care, but also that affect the morale and work environment for the clinical staff. 2. Collaboratively with peers and nursing leadership, discuss and recommend alternative solutions to resolve issues identified which will be mutually satisfying. 3. Plan and provide for the provision of professional nursing practice consistent with the Transformational Model for Professional Practice and patient centered care, Relationship Based Care, and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Nursing Practice (Appendix A) and the Nurse s Bill of Rights (Appendix B). 4. Create a communication and feedback loop that will provide all nursing staff an opportunity to be heard and be informed about the direction of nursing for now and into the future. Article II: Functions The function of the Professional Practice Council is to, in conjunction with the nursing shared governance councils and department based councils, act as an advocating body for staff nurse participation in: 1. Patient Satisfaction 2. Nurse Satisfaction (example: NDNQI) 3. Community Outreach Programs 4. Nurse Recognition (example: DAISY) 5. Peer Review 1
Article III: Membership and Membership Privileges and Responsibilities Section I. - Membership: 1. Membership will consist of registered nurses at UPMC St. Margaret, representing inpatient care, ambulatory and outpatient care, surgical services and specialty nursing care, as well as all departments which employ registered nurses, and the Program Manager, Service Excellence. Additional membership may be appointed at the discretion of council election. a. Council members are appointed by their department director and by recommendation of the former Professional Practice Council member. b. An alternate member will be identified at the unit level to attend meetings in the absence of the member. The role of this individual will be to attend meetings when the member is not available and to share meeting information with member and peers. It will be the responsibility of the member to notify the alternate when the member is unavailable to attend a meeting. c. If a member and/or alternate member (combined) miss two (2) meetings in a one (1) year period, membership will be re-evaluated at the unit level. 2. Terms of appointment for members shall be a minimum of two (2) years. Membership should be reevaluated at the unit level every two (2) years or as necessary. 3. Guests are encouraged to attend. Section II. - Reporting Relationships: 1. All council members will be responsible to gather issues and ideas from their peers, represent them at the council meetings and provide information. 2. Council members may be responsible to present a quality, patient safety, patient satisfaction, and/or department based initiative at a hospital council meeting as indicated by the chairperson or advisor. 3. Department based council reports will be provided monthly for uploading to the Professional Practice Council SharePoint site. In addition, verbal reports will be provided at monthly hospital council meetings as needed. Members are responsible for reviewing department reports in preparation for the regular monthly meeting. 4. The Professional Practice Council chairperson will refer issues which cross multiple departments and which have relationship to the achievement of an organizational focus goal to the appropriate hospital or nursing council for handling and resolution. 2
Article IV: Leadership/ Chair and Chair-Elect Article V: Other Revised 10 23 2012 Section III. - Attendance: 1. Members will meet once a month (Fourth Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.). 2. Inability to attend a meeting must be clearly communicated to the chairperson in advance. 3. It is the responsibility of the council member to obtain information from a missed meeting. 4. It is the responsibility of the council member to appoint a substitute for any excused absences. Section IV. - Active Participation: 1. Members will actively participate in meetings by actively engaging themselves in group discussions and contributing to group projects. 2. Members are expected to participate in sub-groups or committees outside of regular meeting times. 3. Participation in Community Outreach Programs is one of the main functions of the Professional Practice Council. To support this, members are expected to participate in at least two Community Projects in a one-year period. Section V. - Member Voting Procedure: 1. Voting Members are staff nurse representatives that hold a regular position on the council, or a designee. Invited guests are not considered voting members, unless they are attending on behalf of a regular representative. 2. All voting members participate in Modified Parliamentary Procedure for decision-making (this refers to a set of rules that govern the business). The guiding principle allows the majority to make decisions effectively/efficiently and gives each member the right to voice their opinion. 1. The council will be chaired and co-chaired by professional staff nurses that are elected by the council members. a. Terms of election for the chair and co-chair shall be for two (2) years at which time the co-chair will assume the chair role and nominations will be accepted and election held for the co-chair role. b. The co-chair for the Professional Practice Council will serve as the UPMC St. Margaret representative to the System Professional Practice Council. c. In addition to the chair and co-chair, a registered nurse representative from their respective departments will also be members. d. Vice President, Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Magnet Program Director will serve as advisors to the council chair and co-chair. These by-laws will be reviewed annually and amended as necessary. 3
Appendix A Accountabilities in Professional Nursing Practice American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Nursing Practice The six Standards of Practice describe a competent level of nursing care as demonstrated by the critical thinking model known as the nursing process. The nursing process includes the components of assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The nursing process encompasses all significant actions taken by registered nurses, and forms the foundation of the nurse s decision-making. STANDARDS OF PRACTICE STANDARD 1. ASSESSMENT The registered nurse collects comprehensive data pertinent to the patient s health or the situation. STANDARD 2. DIAGNOSIS The registered nurse analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses or issues. STANDARD 3. OUTCOMES IDENTIFICATION The registered nurse identifies expected outcomes for a plan individualized to the patient or the situation. STANDARD 4. PLANNING The registered nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcomes. STANDARD 5. IMPLEMENTATION The registered nurse implements the identified plan. Standard 5A: Coordination of Care The registered nurse coordinates care delivery. Standard 5B: Health Teaching and Health Promotion The registered nurse employs strategies to promote health and a safe environment. Standard 5C: Consultation The advanced practice registered nurse and the nursing role specialist provide consultation to influence the identified plan, enhance the abilities of others and effect change. Standard 5D: Prescriptive Authority and Treatment The advanced practice registered nurse uses prescriptive authority, procedures, referrals, treatments, and therapies in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. STANDARD 6. EVALUATION The registered nurse evaluates progress towards attainment of outcomes. 4
The nine Standards of Professional Performance describe a competent level of behavior in the professional role, including activities related to quality of practice, education, professional practice evaluation, collegiality, collaboration, ethics, research, resource utilization, and leadership. All registered nurses are expected to engage in professional role activities appropriate to their education and position. Registered nurses are accountable for their professional actions to themselves, their patients, their peers, and ultimately to society. Standards of Professional Performance STANDARD 7. QUALITY OF PRACTICE The registered nurse systematically enhances the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice. STANDARD 8. EDUCATION The registered nurse attains knowledge and competency that reflects current nursing practice. STANDARD 9. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE EVALUATION The registered nurse evaluates one s own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and guidelines, relevant statutes, rules, and regulations. STANDARD 10. COLLEGIALITY The registered nurse interacts with and contributes to the professional development of peers and colleagues. STANDARD 11. COLLABORATION The registered nurse collaborates with patient, family, and others in the conduct of nursing practice. STANDARD 12. ETHICS The registered nurse integrates ethical provisions in all areas of practice. STANDARD 13. RESEARCH The registered nurse integrates research findings into practice. STANDARD 14. RESOURCE UTILIZATION The registered nurse considers factors related to safety, effectiveness, cost, and impact on practice in the planning and delivery of nursing services. STANDARD 15. LEADERSHIP The registered nurse provides leadership in the professional practice setting and the profession. Source: American Nurses Association (2004). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Washington, D.C.: Nursebooks.org. 5
Appendix B Nurses' Bill of Rights Registered nurses promote and restore health, prevent illness, and protect the people entrusted to their care. They work to alleviate the suffering experienced by individuals, families, groups and communities. In so doing, nurses provide services that maintain respect for human dignity and embrace the uniqueness of each patient and the nature of his or her health problems, without restriction with regard to social or economic status. To maximize the contributions nurses make to society, it is necessary to protect the dignity and autonomy of nurses in the workplace. To that end, the following rights must be afforded: 1. Nurses have the right to practice in a manner that fulfills their obligations to society and to those who receive nursing care. 2. Nurses have the right to practice in environments that allow them to act in accordance with professional standards and legally authorized scopes of practice. 3. Nurses have the right to a work environment that supports and facilitates ethical practice, in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. 4. Nurses have the right to freely and openly advocate for themselves and their patients, without fear of retribution. 5. Nurses have the right to fair compensation for their work, consistent with their knowledge, experience and professional responsibilities. 6. Nurses have the right to a work environment that is safe for themselves and for their patients. 7. Nurses have the right to negotiate the conditions of their employment, either as individuals or collectively, in all practice settings. Source: American Nurse s Association Nurse s Bill of Rights. Retrieved December 13, 2011 from: http://www.nursingworld.org/mainmenucategories/thepracticeofprofessionalnursing/workplace/work- Environment/RightsofNurses/BillofRights.aspx 6