PROFESSIONAL GOVERNANCE
Professional governance at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center is a leadership and decision-making model that empowers clinical nurses’ ownership of clinical practice and the professional practice environment. It ensures that clinical nurses and other professionals have the authority to make decisions related to the care they provide, and the resources needed to evaluate outcomes, lead improvement initiatives, and continually evaluate practice to ensure alignment with the most current evidence and professional standards.
The council structure consists of 17 councils which include 11 specialty or unit-level councils called unit practice councils (UPCs), 5 central councils, and a coordinating council. UPCs address issues related to their specific patient population by evaluating data, developing strategies to improve care, and by synthesizing current literature and professional guidelines. The central councils support the work of the UPCs, and the coordinating council orchestrates the work of all the councils.
Decision-making authority for the clinical nurse, nurse leader, and nurse executive roles are defined in the Salinas Valley Health Accountability Grids. Developed over 3 years with support from professional governance expert Dr. Tim Porter-O’Grady, our accountability grids translate professional guidelines for nursing practice into specific role-based behavioral and outcome statements. Derived from standards from the American Nurses Association, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the American Organization for Nurse Leaders, the grids ensure that our practice is aligned with professional expectations. Read more about our accountability grids here.
