UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL PROGRAMS
PROFESSIONAL NURSING ORGANIZATION
POLICY STANDARDS

ADDENDUM:           E.1c

EFFECTIVE:             7/97

REVISION:               9/02

APPROVAL:             9/05

NURSING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL BYLAWS

Article I

Name
The name of this council shall be the Nursing Leadership Council.

Article II

Functions

  1. Approve professional scope of practice
  2. Approve and ensure consistent nursing standards where professional nursing practice is performed.
  3. Direct and implement nursing practice improvement.
  4. Recommend appropriate nursing compensation and benefits.
  5. Identify nursing recruitment/retention needs and make recommendations for actions that will ensure adequate numbers of competent professional staff to care for patients and families.

 Article III

Composition, Membership, and Duties

Section 1 COMPOSITION:

  • Inpatient, Outpatient, Surgical Services and Emergency Department Nursing Directors
  • CSMs and Nurse Managers representation from across all areas where nursing is practiced at UAMS Medical Center
  • Associate Director for Patient Care Services
  • 1 Clerical Staff (non-voting)
  • 1 Staff Support - Business Manager (non-voting)

Section 2 MEMBERSHIP SELECTION:

    1. Members will be stipulated by position or appointed to represent a clinical constituency as desired by department head.
    2. Support and clerical staff will be designated by the CNO.

Section 3 LENGTH OF MEMBERSHIP:

Members will maintain a permanent appointment for the duration of their employment within that position.

Section 4 CHAIRPERSON:

chairperson will be rotational among senior nursing leaders and appointed by Nursing Executive Council.

Section 5 ACCOUNTABILITY OF CHAIRPERSON:

Chairperson is accountable to Nursing Executive Council and the CNO.

Section 6 QUALIFICATIONS OF CHAIRPERSON

    Senior nursing leader with membership on Nursing Leadership Council

Section 7  RESPONSIBILITY OF CHAIRPERSON

The Chairperson directly, r as coordinated through Nursing Leadership Council members, ensures:

  • Continuous and timely availability of nursing care to patients
  • Nursing standards of patient care and nursing practice are consistent with current research findings and nationally recognized professional standards
  • Implementation of current research based policies and procedures governing provision of nursing care
  • Continuous improvement of nursing practice and performance
  • Nursing assumes an active leadership role in:
  1. Hospital leadership functions
  2. Defining and providing patient care and services
  3. Providing sufficient numbers of qualified nursing staff to provide care to patients.
  • Development, presentation and management of nursing service's portion of the hospital's budget

Section 8   DUTIES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS

    1. Attend meetings and participate in council activities as a constituent representative.
    2. Chair or co-chair councils or subcommittees as requested.
    3. Membership on  medical staff, and hospitall committees as a representative of professional nursing.
    4. Communicate council actions and decisions to appropriate constituencies.
    5. Maintain council minutes and material in a manual available to their constituency.
    6. Gather necessary date from constituencies to facilitate the work of PNO.

Section 8 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CLERICAL STAFF ARE:

    1. Assist the chairperson in notification of members regarding meetings.
    2. Record minutes of each council meeting.
    3. Ensure that minutes are typed and distributed to members.
    4. Assist the Chairperson in compiling council reports.
    5. Maintains attendance records for all council meetings.
    6. Document the presence of a quorum at all council meetings.
    7. Ensure that nursing standards are typed and distributed to appropriate areas.

Section 10 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BUSINESS MANAGER ARE:

    1. Provide data and interpretive information on issues concerning budget and financial management.
    2. Assist chairperson in presentation of financial reports.
    3. Provide information and serve as a liaison to the Patient Care Services Business Office.

Section 11 VACANCIES:

Chairperson, in collaboration with Executive Council Members and appropriate administrative staff, will be responsible for filling vacancies.

Article IV

Meetings

Section 1 MEETINGS:

    1. Meetings of the Nursing Leadership Council will be held monthly or more frequently at the discretion of the chairperson.
    2. Meeting time will be set by Chairperson
    3. Meetings may be canceled by the Chairperson any time there is no business requiring immediate action.

Section 2 QUORUM:

    1. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of two-thirds of the members of the Nursing Leadership Council.
    2. If a quorum is not present, the Chairperson will call the meeting to order and proceed as directed in Robert’s Rules, Chapter XI, "Quorum; Order of Business and Related Concepts."

Article V

Committees

Section 1 AD-HOC COMMITTEES:

    1. Ad-hoc committees may be appointed from among the membership of the Professional Staff Organization as necessary to conduct Nursing Leadership Council business. Such committees will function until their purpose has been achieved. Following their final report; they shall be dissolved.
    2. The following shall be specified for each committee at the time of appointment:
    • Purpose
    • Charge
    • Objectives
    • Term
    • Number of members
    • Chairperson
    1. Ad-hoc committees shall have authority to call and conduct such meetings as necessary to obtain information and to formulate committee recommendations to the Executive Council.
    2. A quorum shall consist of a majority (over 50%) of the committee members.
    3. At the completion of their charge, the ad-hoc committee will submit a written report of actions and recommendations to Nursing Leadership Council.

 ARTICLE VI

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern meetings of this council in all parliamentary situations which are not provided for in the rules of this council.

 ARTICLE VII

BYLAWS AMENDMENT

Section 1 BIENNIAL REVIEW:

The PSO Constitution and the Nursng Leadership Council bylaws shall be reviewed biennially.

Section 2 BYLAW AMENDMENTS:

    1. Bylaws of the Nursing Leadership Council may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the council.
    2. No vote shall be taken on a proposed amendment until it has been considered at two consecutive meetings of the Executive Council.

ARTICLE VIII

SPECIAL RULES

The Nursing Leadership Council shall be governed by Robert’s Standing Rules of Order and shall adopt any special rules as may be necessary to implement more specifically the general principles of these bylaws. These rules shall relate to the proper conduct of Executive Council activities.

Rules shall be an appendage to these bylaws; Rules may be amended or repealed at any meeting of the Executive Council when a quorum is present, by a two-thirds vote of those members present and eligible to vote.

 

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