The Governance Council of the Roseville Medical Center Voice of Nursing (VON) has been dedicated to aligning VON projects with the nursing strategic plan and assessing the maturity of each council. In 2024, the Governance Council took significant steps to support the professional growth of VON and Nursing Unit Council (NUC) members. This included offering Top Nurses Basic Training to help new members understand VON’s structure, evidence-based practice (EBP), and quality improvement (QI) principles. The council also hosted the annual Winter Wonderland event in December, celebrating the achievements of all 7 core councils and highlighting their contributions to nursing excellence. It’s been a year of growth, education, and celebration for VON, and the Governance Council is excited for what’s ahead in 2025.
Voice of Nursing
Governance Council Tri-Chairs
Sarah Yates, MS, BSN, RN, CCRN
Clinical Nurse IV
Sarah McCarthy, BSN, MBA, RN
Clinical Nurse II
Amanda Nicolet, BSN, MBA, RN
Clinical Nurse IV
Councils
The Care Experience Council led the “What Matters Most” campaign to improve “RNs listen carefully” scores by educating nursing staff at Voice of Nursing and staff meetings. In another project, they worked to reduce room time and improve cleanliness scores by providing education on EVS room readiness. The council also created four care experience teams, with each adult unit taking the lead on one aspect of care experience.
The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Council identified an opportunity to enhance members’ EBP knowledge and skills. After an EBP immersion for all Voice of Nursing members, they developed a PICOT question to guide them through all seven steps of the EBP process.
The Informatics Council developed and implemented an enhanced armband with additional QR codes for scanning, improving patient identification and workflow. Noticing a knowledge gap, the council provided education on the Rover and Vocera apps during staff meetings and huddles to encourage better utilization of TC52 features. The council also focused on hardware optimization, conducting individualized unit assessments to identify opportunities for printer mapping, improving workstation functionality, and ensuring proper technology stewardship.
The Practice Council identified a need to improve policy accessibility and staff education. In response, they collaborated to create an informative job-aid and provided training to help nursing staff efficiently find and access policies relevant to their clinical areas.
The Professional Development Council worked diligently to improve the tracking of degree and certification rates through HealthStream. As a result, nurses with a BSN or higher increased from 41% to 57%, and nurses with professional certifications rose from 16% to 19%. The council also actively promoted RN attendance at nursing conferences, obtaining professional certifications, and pursuing further education through tuition reimbursement programs.
The Quality & Safety Council provided car seat safety classes to reduce injury risks and support patient discharge needs. They also initiated a project to standardize IV tubing labels across all inpatient adult units, aligning with upcoming policy updates. In collaboration with EVS leadership, the council improved sharp safety protocols, addressing concerns when sharps containers are full or unavailable. The council is also working with EVS and Safety teams to ensure that soiled utility rooms are clean, organized, and safe for use.
The Recognition & Retention Council successfully obtained approval to separate Nurses’ Week from Healthcare Week, then contributed to the efforts for Nurses’ Week celebrations. In addition, the council focused on staff retention by offering exit interviews to collect data on reasons for unit transfers and departures. They also gathered insights on what contributes to nursing staff satisfaction, helping to identify factors that encourage staff to remain in their current units.