Professional Governance

Shared Governance, now known as Professional Governance, is a framework that supports, guides, directs and regulates the practice of nursing to achieve optimal outcomes. Orlando Health nursing leaders believe the patient is the central figure and clinical nurses, at the point of care, are the experts who impact nursing practice. Approximately eight years ago executive nurse leaders implemented a professional governance councilor structure to facilitate practice improvements at the unit, hospital and system levels. This formal structure pulls expertise, knowledge and skills from all practice settings and ensures efficient functioning and collaboration among nurses. At Orlando Health, five councils form the professional governance structure. They are described below.  

Nurse Executive Council

The Nurse Executive Council (NEC) promotes nursing excellence, ensures safe nursing practice with quality outcomes, partners with the senior executive leadership team and the supporting councils to meet the needs of nurses at Orlando Health. NEC creates system-wide structures and processes that impact nursing practice.

Professional Development Council

The Professional Development Council (PDC) provides strategic direction and an infrastructure that enhances the professional growth of nurses through the components of the nursing professional practice model. PDC facilitates the professional development of nurses to foster clinical excellence and caring practices at Orlando Health.

Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice Council

The Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice Council (NREPC) exists to generate new knowledge to advance nursing science and the practice of nursing. The NREPC utilizes the best evidence to guide decision making and collaborates with other nursing support councils to promote nursing research and evidence-based practice.

Nursing Practice Council

The Nursing Practice Council (NPC) oversees the development, implementation and evaluation of practice standards and provides guidance and supports the nurses at the unit and hospital levels. NPC collaborates with nurses at all levels and members of the inter-professional team to drive evidence and innovation that result in extraordinary clinical outcomes. Membership includes clinical nurses who are hospital nursing practice council chairs from all Orlando Health hospitals, physician practice group and executive nursing leaders. Other ad hoc members include representatives from the disciplines of risk management, infection prevention, pharmacy and clinical learning.

Nursing Quality and Safety Council

The Nursing Quality and Safety Council (NQSC) governs the quality and safety culture through the utilization of key performance metrics to improve patient satisfaction and nursing-sensitive indicators throughout the system.