Clinical Nurse Specialist Mentored Staff Nurse as Champion of Performance Improvement

Abstract

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The clinical nurse specialist (CNS) mentored a unit based staff nurse as <em>Champion of Performance Improvement </em>through nursing’s shared governance council.</p> <p><strong>Significance:</strong> Within shared governance, nurses are empowered to make decisions about practice, quality, and development. A staff nurse, acting as a unit based champion, can role-model effective decision making affecting clinical practice and patient outcomes. Performance improvement is one area that benefits from staff nurse participation. CNSs can be instrumental in developing staff nurse knowledge of and skills in performance improvement.</p> <p><strong>Background:</strong> The CNS identified within the shared governance structure at a large, public hospital that identification and development of a unit based champion was one method to advance practice. A staff nurse, serving as a unit champion, is expected to act as a practice leader for improved patient outcomes. Performance improvement was an area selected for the unit champion initiative.</p> <p><strong>Description:</strong> The CNS initiated a mentored experience for a medical-surgical staff nurse <em>Champion of Performance Improvement</em>. Teaching and coaching were the primary strategies. The staff nurse champion learned to describe problem significance, review evidence, identify needed changes, establish goals aligned with organizational mission, determine methods for evaluation, and mobilize resources. Expected outcomes for the mentored experience included collecting and analyzing data; collaborating to identify resources; designing strategies to improve outcomes using feedback to reinforce practice changes and disseminating results of performance improvement to stakeholders at unit and organizational levels.</p> <p><strong>Outcome:</strong> Three performance improvement projects were implemented by the staff nurse <em>Champion for Performance Improvement</em> under the mentorship of the CNS. The staff nurse evaluated the mentored experience as most valuable in developing knowledge and skills for conducting unit based performance improvement. The shared governance structure was pleased with the mentoring experience provided by the CNS.</p> <p><strong>Interpretation:</strong> CNS mentorship of a staff nurse was a successful strategy for developing a <em>Champion for Performance Improvement.</em></p> <p><strong>Implications:</strong> CNS competencies in teaching, coaching and mentoring can support the professional development of a staff nurse and can contribute to overall shared governance initiatives to empower nursing staff.</p>