Nursing Practice Council
Shared governance enables nurses to determine practice, standards, quality of care and professional development within the Nursing Service. At its heart, shared governance is the process by which nurses share responsibility and reach collective decisions. It replaces the traditional centralised system of management and creates opportunities for change.
Nursing Practice Council (NPC)
The peak body of shared governance within the Nursing Service is the Nursing Practice Council, a forum for registered nurses and interdisciplinary colleagues to communicate across the Cabrini Health organisation.
Members are elected by their peers and are drawn from Registered Nursing Divisions 1 and 2 from each clinical area and a Division 1 Graduate Nurse. They are joined by non-elected members who represent different units and departments throughout Cabrini.
Individuals with specific expertise may be co-opted for a limited period for the purpose of achieving objectives set by the Council.
The NPC receives direction and makes recommendations to the Governing Board, Management, interdisciplinary colleagues and appropriate committees. Activities are reported to the Governing Board four times a year and information is disseminated via the organisation’s Intranet.
Ward Shared Governance
As members of the NPC are the representatives of their clinical department, they are responsible for chairing Ward Shared Governance meetings within their sections. In that way, by building on peer relations, all nurses have a voice on the Council and the process of shared governance is promoted throughout the organisation.
Achievements
The range of achievements is extensive, among them:
- Development of an Integrated Care Delivery System
- Introduction and evaluation of the role of Ward Assistants
- Single Nurse Checking and Administration of Medications
- Addition of an Infection Control Co-ordinator, Nursing Pre-Admission
Co-ordinator and NurseSafe Co-ordinator.
- Establishment of the Overseas Nurses Orientation Program
- Development of Skin Tear policy/protocol.
