The Governance Council of the Kaiser Permanente Roseville Voice of Nursing (VON) continues to play a pivotal role in aligning VON initiatives with the nursing strategic plan and monitoring council maturity. In 2025, the council welcomed two newly elected chairs, bringing fresh perspectives and energy to its leadership team. Building on last year’s momentum, the council remains committed to supporting the professional growth of VON and the Nursing Unit Council (NUC) members.
Key initiatives included offering Top Nurses Basic Training, which equips new members with foundational knowledge of VON’s structure, evidence-based practice (EBP), and quality improvement (QI) principles. This training ensures every member is prepared to contribute meaningfully to strategic priorities and patient care outcomes. Through education, collaboration, and leadership, the Governance Council continues to strengthen the voice of nursing across Roseville. These efforts reflect an unwavering commitment to professional governance and the advancement of professional nursing practice, setting the stage for another year of growth, innovation, and excellence.
Tri-Chairs
Sarah McCarthy, MBA, BSN, RN
Tiffani Morgan, BSN, RN
Dana Burke, MSHI, BSN, RN, CCRN
In 2025, the Care Experience Council prioritized initiatives aimed at reducing nurse burnout and improving satisfaction through the Caritas process. The council gathered baseline data on staff knowledge, provided education on the 10 Caritas principles to the Voice of Nursing and individual units, and posted informational materials throughout the hospital. This work culminated in a Caritas skit at the December VON meeting, with plans to develop more Caritas Coachs in 2026. Additionally, the council sponsored a full week of activities during Care Experience Week in September, reinforcing a culture of compassion and connection. Looking ahead, the council is leading Performance Improvement Team efforts to implement evidence-based practices on every unit, scheduled to begin in 2026.
Following last year’s EBP immersion, the Evidence-Based Practice & Research Council chose to focus on their own professional development in 2025 and continue to build council members’ competency in EBP. To do so, they created a PICO question focusing on the use of Curos™ caps vs. alcohol swabs and associated infection rates, a topic relevant to all areas of nursing practice. The team developed their search strategy, critically appraised 13 articles, and selected 9 for final synthesis before temporarily pausing the project to prioritize the annual Poster Fair. In July, the council issued a call for abstracts and used a standardized scoring tool to evaluate EBP, research, and quality improvement submissions. Accepted authors received mentorship on their posters before presenting their work at the November Poster Fair, which drew over 100 interprofessional attendees. These efforts highlight the council’s commitment to advancing evidence-based practice and fostering a culture of inquiry.
In 2025, the Informatics Council played a key role in supporting the California Instance Simplification (CIS) project, ensuring smooth transition to a single Northern California KP Health Connect instance by preparing units with downtime procedures and paper workflows. Recognizing gaps in downtime readiness on their individual units, the council launched the Code Dark Playbook initiative to standardize resources for unplanned outages. Additionally, the Pink Tag Project is currently underway to streamline communication between clinical teams and IT/Facility services, aiming to create a closed-loop process that will improve efficiency and responsiveness. These efforts strengthened operational resilience and enhanced informatics support across Roseville.
In 2025, the Practice Council advanced several key initiatives to strengthen nursing practice and patient safety. The team conducted a comprehensive review of policies and care delivery across all units, laying the groundwork for expanded K-Card utilization to standardize workflows and enhance real-time problem solving. Collaborating with pharmacy leadership, the council completed an insulin safety and policy review, advocating for aligning local practices with regional policy, as well as supporting medication safety by promoting and sustaining proper use and adherence to barcode scanning. Additional efforts included reviewing personal device use policies and expectations to safeguard privacy and professionalism, and progressing nurse-driven protocols to promote autonomy and evidence-based care at the bedside. These initiatives reflect the council’s commitment to consistency, safety, and innovation in nursing practice.
In 2025, the Professional Development Council advanced nursing excellence by increasing self-reported certification rates in HealthStream from 16% to 18% and boosting BSN or higher degree reporting from 57% to 64%. To support ongoing professional growth, the council facilitated five specialty certification review courses—including CPAN/CAPA, CCRN, Peds-BC, MedSurg-BC, and RNC-NIC—drawing 100 nurses in total. Additionally, 65 RNs reported attending nursing conferences, with four nurses presenting posters or podium sessions, showcasing Roseville’s commitment to lifelong learning and evidence-based practice. These efforts strengthened clinical expertise and elevated professional engagement across the organization.
In 2025, the Quality and Safety Council advanced several initiatives to strengthen patient and staff safety across Roseville. The council identified improper thermometer use through observations and staff feedback, leading to targeted education on units and dissemination through huddles and staff meetings. Ongoing work focused on improving sharps container availability and functionality, including collaboration with EVS leadership to promote S3 reporting and increase PAR levels. The council also partnered with laboratory teams to streamline communication and reduce early-morning call volume, while addressing inconsistencies in lab-draw signage. Standardized signage, approved in October in collaboration with Public Affairs, will ensure clarity and consistency throughout the hospital.
In 2025, the Recognition and Retention Council championed initiatives that celebrated and supported nursing excellence across Roseville. The council planned and implemented all Nurses Week activities in May, creating meaningful opportunities to honor nurses throughout the organization. They oversaw the review and selection process for DAISY and Petal Award nominations, ensuring outstanding contributions were recognized. Additionally, the council maintained unit recognition boards hospital-wide, reinforcing a culture of appreciation and engagement among nursing teams.