Professional Governance: Team Member Voices Shape the Future of Patient Care Services
At Children’ s Hospital Colorado, the division of Patient Care Services( PCS) values team member voices and involvement in decision making that impacts professional practice. Over the past two years, the division has been on a journey to refresh the PCS professional governance structure to ensure those values continue to thrive. In 2024, additional councils brought together representative voices from all Children’ s Colorado locations to elevate pediatric clinical care and sustain the culture of excellence across the system of care.
Quality Practice Council( QPC)
Focused on data-driven decisions and recommendations, the QPC made great strides in improving quality and safety in 2024. Key accomplishments included strengthening the culture of speaking up, standardizing patient handoffs, reducing healthcare acquired conditions, and supporting practice changes and cross-functional collaboration in key quality and safety improvement initiatives. The QPC also supported the ongoing evolution of the professional governance structure through enhanced bidirectional communication across the system and implementing data literacy and transparency practices.
“ With an emphasis on creativity, collaboration and communication, our voices are not only heard, but sought out and valued,” said Brian Sablan, BSN, RN, SANE-A, a Clinical Nurse IV in the Emergency Department at Anschutz Medical Campus and co-chair of the Emergency and Urgent Care Practice Council in the QPC structure.“ By speaking up, we consciously empower others to contribute further to the dialogue. It is through these exchanges that concerns are addressed, decisions are made and actions are taken to improve our care environment and professional workspace.”
Practice Environment Council( PEC)
The PEC promotes and facilitates an environment across Children’ s Colorado that supports and engages all clinical team members to thrive in their professional practice caring for patients and families. In 2024, their key accomplishments included ensuring team member voices informed staffing plans and seasonal staffing changes during peak respiratory surges, enhancing team member recognition opportunities across the system of care, advancing professional development opportunities for clinical assistants and helping shape preceptor workshops to prepare colleagues as supportive teachers to our newest team members.
“ What I value most about being a member of this council is that I get to be involved in crucial conversations and discussions that lead to actions with the goal to positively impact our workplace at Children’ s Colorado. As a member of this council, I am empowered to bring back feedback from other team members, including some feedback that staff may not always want to share in bigger group settings,” said Jenni Ludwig, BSN, RN, CPN, Clinical Nurse III, Inpatient North Campus.“ I also greatly appreciate that the council is made up of team members from varying departments and locations. Coming from North Campus, it is incredibly appreciated to be involved and included.”
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2024 PCS Annual Report