Our Professional Practice Model

Our Professional Practice Model

February 1st, 2011

Dear Colleagues,

Two weeks ago, I shared the graphical display of our “new” professional practice model (PPM). This week I’m sharing the textual description of each model component. I’d like you to take a close look at both and begin to acquaint yourselves with the model. I will share my thoughts about various model components – and I welcome your input.

As a reminder, the development of this model was undertaken by our Nursing Leadership Council with strong input from Staff Nurse Council, Nurse Retention Committee, and our Nurse Staffing Advisory Council. Hopefully, the model resonates with every UI Hospitals and Clinics nurse and will help us to develop a shared sense of purpose about our practice.

Look closely at the graphic. You will notice that it is structured around the letter “I.” This is to depict the uniqueness of Iowa and our culture here. I suspect that no other hospital in the country has incorporated this letter into their model. PPMs typically use traditional shapes, such as Venn diagrams, ovals, or others. We wanted to depict our “Iowa uniqueness” by displaying our model components within the letter I. Please take a moment to reflect on the unique qualities surrounding nursing at Iowa. I can personally attest to the wonderful richness, strong work ethic, strength of character, and the amazing kindness and generosity of our nursing team. We have a lot to cherish and be proud of!

Now take a look at the textual description starting with the pinnacle. Patient and Family Centered Care is at the pinnacle of our model. It is what we aspire to from moment to moment because our patients and families come first. We treat them with dignity and respect, compassion, and share health information freely while promoting their participation. Again, I hope you will take a moment to really reflect on what this attribute of the model means to you and to your practice.

Moving to the pillars that make up the vertical component of the “I” you will see the following: clinical expertise, education, EBP, research, shared governance, and leadership. These are all integral to professional nursing at Iowa. These are the attributes that connect the foundation to the pinnacle. What do these attributes of the model mean to you?

At the foundation are the UI Health Care I Care values: innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect, and excellence. These values are especially meaningful for nursing practice since we work as a team with other disciplines, and with our patients and families. Having strong shared values sets the bar and the boundaries on our behavior as professionals and team members. If we truly embody our values every day, we will achieve outcomes that are second to none in service and quality of care for patients and families, as well as create an exceptional practice environment for all.

I hope that over the next few weeks and months you will study the model and really get to know it. I will hold open forums, attend staff meetings, and invite a cross-section of staff for coffee and conversation to discuss this – and our strategic plan. We also will work with Staff Nurse Council to select an appropriate way to remind all of us about the professional practice model. So stay tuned.

Thank you for your engagement and for really helping to “own” and internalize this model. We are an exceptional nursing team. Through this model, we recognize our shared values, attributes, and aspirations. It is a strong reminder of who we are and what we stand for as a professional nursing organization.

Sincerely,

Ann

AHA Heart Walk May 7, 2011 – teams forming now

In case you haven’t heard, I’m the chair-person for this year’s Johnson County Heart Walk. This responsibility is near and dear to my heart since the vast majority of my family members have died from heart disease and stroke. My personal hero—my Dad—died two years ago this March after many years of suffering from cardiovascular disease and small strokes. And my aunt, who lived next door to our family, died less than a year ago of heart disease. I have a strong personal commitment to health and physical fitness (though I struggle a bit, as we all do from time-to-time, to keep up my routines), so this is a wonderful cause for me to help champion.

I’m issuing a challenge for each and every unit and department to form a team to walk in this year’s event. It will be a lot of fun and give us a reason to get active now! Please work with your unit manager to form a team and get moving!! Click here for more information.

Breakfast with the CEO

Twenty-two nurses had the opportunity on January 24 to share breakfast and thoughts with our CEO Ken Kates. The nursing staff shared concerns ranging from: “Is the Governor going to cut jobs at UIHC?” to concerns over lack of parking, inability to get clinic appointments in a timely manner, and communication problems in getting what is “going on” at this institution down to direct care staff. It was a very satisfying experience and, for those of you asked about share their morning with our CEO at a future breakfast, it is a great opportunity. Please ask one of the attendees (click here for list) for more details.

Nursing Grand Rounds Thursday, February 3 at noon

Healthcare cross cultural expert Ira SenGupta will present “Enhancing Patient Safety and Health Outcomes through Culturally and Linguistically Competent Care” on Thursday at noon. Click here for more details. Ms. SenGupta is a special guest of the UI College of Nursing Diversity Committee and Office.

AACN Adult CCRN Certification Review Course Webinar

We have booked 30 seats for the upcoming AACN Adult CCRN Certification Review Course offering via webinar. These sessions occur every Monday and Thursday starting February 10 through March 3, 2011 from noon to 4:30 p.m. Click here for more details on the program and how to reserve a seat.

Information Session on MBA programs at UI Tippie Business College

Staff from the UI Tippie College of Business will present a MBA for Professionals and Management Information Session immediately following Nurse Manager Council on Thursday, February 3 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for anyone interested in pursuing this type of master’s degree. No registration is required. The session will be held in W417 A/B GH in the Nursing Clinical Education Center. Please feel free to contact Lou Ann Montgomery at 6-3959 or if you have questions.

Sigma Theta Tau International- Gamma Chapter News

The Gamma Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (the Honor Society of Nursing), is currently accepting applications for nurse leader and student members. The call is also out for applications for research seed-grant money and nominations for other chapter awards. Click these links for further information about : nurse leader applications, research awards, the Clinical Practice Performance Award, and the Betty Means Community Health Nursing Award, or contact , call 319-335-7296 or stop by 101C CNB to pick up forms.

PSN upgrade now available:

Please go to ICON to view a six-minute video on how to enter a report into the upgraded PSN system.The upgrade goes live Wednesday, February 16, 2011. If you have questions about the ICON, please contact Mark Miksch at 356-7722.If you have questions about the PSN upgrade, please contact Viki Kron ( or 384-9511) or Kim Erlandson ( or 353-7222). You can also call the PSN Help Line at 467-6543.

The Iowa Experience – Excellence Every Time

Our four-hour offsite service excellence retreat is planned for February 15 and 16 at the Iowa Memorial Union. If you received an e-mail invitation to attend, please complete the online registration form to secure a spot. If you would like to attend, but did not receive an invitation, please talk to your nurse manager. Videos regarding exemplary customer service will be available on The Point in the near future. Stay tuned for more information.

Improvement Skills to Empower Frontline Nurses Audio Programs

The Staff Nurse Council and Nursing Clinical Education Center are pleased to host three audio programs from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Each call will detail strategies to help nurses advance interdepartmental relationships, influence change, and lead improvement initiatives that will result in better patient care. Click here for details.

Patient satisfaction update

This week you’ll notice that our performance on the nursing questions continues to improve – way to go!! Likelihood to recommend has dropped by 10 percentage points. This is with only one quarter of the total sample size for the quarter – so we can pull this up. Yet it is concerning.The little things make a difference – and communication plays a huge part. Thanks for paying attention to the details and exhibiting leadership, on behalf of patients and families, to improve interdisciplinary communication, as well as clear messages to those with weserve.

HCAHPS-Recommend /
HCAHPS Nurses

Grateful patient letter

My office received a handwritten note from the family of patient.

Our mother was recently at UIHC. She received skillful and wise care. My sisters and brother who were with her felt that the staff was understanding and supportive as they made decisions that were so difficult. She came by ambulance to live her last days at home. It was an amazing experience for us all to be able to be with her and take care of her. Her coming home meant that our father, whose own fragile health didn’t allow him to be with her in the hospital, could sit next to her and hold her hand, talk to her, and tell her he loved her. He died the next morning and she died four days later.

To read more grateful patient letters, click here.

Has your unit or clinic received a letter from a grateful patient? Please send to or through campus mail to Jane Zukin, UI Health Care Marketing and Communications, W 319A GH.