|
 Shared governance is a leadership structure that enables nurses to influence decisions that affect their practice. Our shared governance model provides a framework that aligns nursing with the organization's overall goals and empowers all nurses to play an important role within our corporate strategic plan.
Memorial University Medical Center has adopted a "councilor model" of shared governance. In this model, issues that impact functional areas of nursing across the organization are identified, addressed, and resolved at various levels by the appropriate committee in the following committee structure:
Unit Practice Committees – Issues identified at the point of patient care are initially addressed within the unit by the unit practice committees. These committees are authorized to make decisions that affect their unit. Decisions are made by consensus and supported by evidence-based practice. Issues that extend beyond the specific unit are brought to the nursing specialty councils.
Nursing Specialty Councils – These councils address operational, practice, educational, and performance improvement issues that extend across all or most of the units within the specialty council and/or have been identified by the shared governance councils. Memorial University Medical Center has the following nursing specialty councils: maternal infant and pediatrics, critical care/stepdown, medical-surgical, peri-operative, and procedural.
Shared Governance Councils – These councils collaborate to ensure that the specific nursing initiatives are aligned with the overall strategic plan of the organization and serve as a link between the nursing staff and the coordinating council. There is an operations council, a practice and research council, an education council, and a performance improvement council. Each shared governance council is chaired by an R.N. and co-chaired by a manager or director. Members of each nursing specialty council also sit on each shared governance council.
The Coordinating Council – The mission of the coordinating council is to provide leadership, coordinate the work of the councils, represent the nursing body, and ensure that the overall shared governance initiatives are aligned with the organizational goals. The coordinating council consists of the chief nursing officer, the chairs and co-chairs of each council, an administrator, a clinical director, a nurse manager, a nursing supervisor, an advanced practice nurse, the mentors of each shared governance council, and an R.N. who coordinates the activities of all councils.
For more information or to speak to a talent acquisition consultant, please call 800-332-8592 or e-mail ellisla1@memorialhealth.com.
For career opportunities, apply online now.
|