An innovative professional nursing practice model.

Nursing, as with health care delivery, is changing to meet the greater challenges brought about by managed care and the accompanying external forces in the marketplace. Nurses, with their vast resources of knowledge and experience, are crucial in achieving optimal quality care. Given the opportunity to redefine and strengthen the impact of nursing practice at Piedmont Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia, a group of advanced practice nurses began developing a unique practice model. The resulting Professional Nursing Practice Model--a theoretical framework created for nurses by nurses--presents a common vision of human beings, health, and nursing in accordance with the values and beliefs of nursing. This model demonstrates the importance of a person-centered, value-driven nursing practice across the continuum of health from birth to death.     

Differentiated group professional practice in nursing: a demonstration model.

This innovative professional practice model was developed to assist in the redesign of the current nursing care delivery system in hospitals. It is expected that this model will facilitate the promotion of professional practice and that the results will be positive ones for patients, nurses, and hospitals. As Barry and Gibbons wrote recently, "Changing circumstances have become so compelling that it is no longer a question of whether familiar systems need redesigning, but rather how soon and by what means a different system will take place of the existing one."     

Hallmarks of the professional nursing practice environment

THE AMERICAN Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for university and 4-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 560 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN's educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor's-degree and graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice. Task forces are appointed by the AACN Board of Directors as issues arise that require study and action. This white paper was prepared by the AACN Task Force on Hallmarks of the Professional Practice Setting.     

The role of the nursing administrator in collective bargaining.

There is little doubt that collective bargaining is here to stay in hospital nursing, and it adds a new dimension to the nursing administrator's area of responsibility. Careful planning and preparation for participation, trust and open communication, an attitude of acceptance, and a focus on the positive aspects of the negotiations will place the nursing administrator in an advantageous position in regard to collective bargaining in any practice setting.     

Promoting professional nursing practice: linking a professional practice model to performance expectations

Professional practice models (PPMs) provide the conceptual framework for establishing professional nursing practice. Integrating a PPM requires complex organizational change. One strategy for integrating a PPM is to directly link the PPM with performance expectations to ensure that underlying beliefs are integrated into everyday practice. This article describes the development, implementation, and successful outcomes of a clinical advancement system that was aligned with a PPM.     

Achieving a professional practice model. How primary nursing can help

The authors of this article show how a change to primary nursing causes a series of predictable changes in hospital organizations and nursing departments. They conceptualize the series of changes as a continuum. Using their continuum as a framework, they analyze primary nursing at six acute care hospitals, noting how the changes in nursing practice affect seven key variables in the organization. Nursing leaders may wish to use the insights provided by the framework to push their organizations further toward the goal of more autonomy, power, and achieving a model of professional practice.     

Developing and implementing a nursing professional practice model in a large health system

A large healthcare system was challenged to develop a nursing professional practice model that would apply to and be understood by nurses at all levels and across all entities of the organization. A team was convened, composed of direct care nurses, educators, clinical nurse specialists, Magnet program directors, managers, and directors, representing 5 hospitals, the organization institute for nursing, and system support services. The group drafted a model describing nursing across the organization. The draft model was vetted in nursing governance councils across the entity. The model includes a theoretical framework; a mission, vision, and values; elements of professional practice; internal accountabilities; and nursing outcomes. Nurses learned about the model through Web-based and face-to-face training, through participation in a professional practice model blog and group discussions.