Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco (KP SSF) demonstrates its commitment to nursing excellence, collaboration, and frontline empowerment through its Professional Governance structure. This shared decision-making model amplifies the collective voice of nurses across all inpatient settings, enabling nurses to influence decisions that impact practice, patient care, and organizational outcomes.
The Professional Governance structure includes three integrated levels: Unit Councils, Core Councils, and the Coordinating Council. Unit Councils, comprised of clinical nurses from each care area, focus on local priorities and practice improvements. The Core Councils advance broader professional practice and organizational goals.
All Unit and Core Councils meet monthly on the second Wednesday Nursing Professional Governance Day, supported by protected time for professional development and nurse-driven improvement.
The Coordinating Council, co-led by Emergency Department nurse Ayra Dee, BSN, RN, CPEN, CEN and Chief Nursing Executive/Chief Operating Officer Tina Bray, DNP, MBA, RN, CENP, serves as the strategic forum that integrates and elevates the work of all councils. It includes 7 staff RN voting members and 6 RN leader voting members, representing roles from frontline clinical practice nurses to directors. This council provides alignment, executive sponsorship, and support to address system-level barriers and advance initiatives across KP SSF.
In addition to formal governance, nurses actively participate in interprofessional committees such as the Sepsis Committee, Stroke Committee, and HEROES (Hospital and Emergency Department Reliability in Operational Safety and Excellence), further strengthening collaboration and impact.
Together, KP SSF’s Professional Governance structure embodies a culture of accountability, inquiry, innovation, and shared leadership—where every nurse has the opportunity to lead, influence, and improve practice in support of extraordinary care, every patient, every time.
In 2025, KP South San Francisco’s Professional Governance continued to strengthen nurse-driven innovation, professional practice, and patient-centered care. Through empowered shared decision-making, each council advanced strategic priorities while contributing to our Magnet Journey—culminating in the successful submission of our first Magnet document and the prestigious notification from the ANCC Magnet Program that KP SSF has advanced directly to site visit with zero deficiencies, an uncommon and exemplary achievement.
Caring Science Council
Chair: Victoria “Vicky” Palomar, MSN, RN, CCRN
Co-Chair: Arline Bocaling, BSN, RN, CCRN, PCCN
Rooted in Watson’s Caring Science and Caritas processes, the Caring Science Council focused on nurturing emotional well-being, creating meaningful human connections, and cultivating a culture of compassion. In 2025, the council hosted engaging wellness and healing-centered moments such as “Spreading the Love” for Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July Ice Cream Social focused on joy and presence, and the Thankful Lounge for Thanksgiving, offering tea, reflection spaces, gratitude trees, and relaxation activities. Ongoing Caring Rounds and wellness events provided nurses restorative spaces for self-care, mindfulness, and compassionate engagement.
Quality & Safety Council
Chair: Henry Garcia, BSN, RN
Co-Chair: Ma Cleo Cruz, BSN, RN
Guided by a commitment to safe, reliable care, the Quality & Safety Council helped advance two major practice improvements in 2025. The council supported multidisciplinary efforts for Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) prevention, contributing to six consecutive months of HAPI-free performance across the inpatient division—a significant milestone. Additionally, the council helped standardize and implement the Fall TIPS Toolkit, reinforcing proactive fall prevention strategies and strengthening patient safety outcomes.
Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation Council
Chair: Marlon Caballero, BSN, RN
Co-Chairs: Christina Taylor, RN, Med-Surg-BC and Miguel “Mike” Ignacio, MSN, RN
In 2025, the council launched the inaugural Foundations of EBP Workshop, establishing a sustainable framework to empower clinical nurses to lead inquiry-driven practice change. The workshop laid the groundwork for future research and QI initiatives aligned with KP SSF’s 2026 strategic vision.
Nursing Professional Development Council
Chair: Victoria “Tori” Sladek, BSN, RN
Co-Chair: Gerald Bauzon, BSN, RN
The Nursing Professional Development Council advanced lifelong learning, growth, and professional competency by promoting access to continuing education, certifications, and clinical development resources across units. The council strengthened professional practice through mentoring, skill-building workshops, and unit-based development strategies that supported nurses in achieving professional goals aligned with KP’s Professional Practice Model.
Patient Experience Council
Chair: Joyce Bauld, BSN, RN, CMGT-BC
Co-Chair: Claudia Chan, MSN, RN
Focusing on elevating the lived experience of patients and families, the Patient Experience Council launched patient experience rounds, incorporating tea, puzzles, gratitude cards, and fidget toys to foster meaningful patient connection, comfort, and engagement. Building on the voices and stories gathered from these rounds, the council began partnering with the Patient Advisory Council and EBP/Research/Innovation Council to develop new patient-centered care communication boards designed to support personalized care, communication, and involvement in the healing process.