Nurses at every level have a strong voice in how University of Louisville Hospital and the James Graham Brown Cancer Center respond to issues that affect patient care, efficiency and operations, leadership, research and our ability to do our best work.

A shared decision-making model provides the infrastructure needed to foster a supportive practice environment, advance our profession and improve patient care. Hospital and nursing administrators utilize a management style that encourages and incorporates feedback from staff at all levels.

Nurses serving in leadership positions are visible, accessible and committed to communicating effectively with staff. This includes direct care nurse representation in the councilor committee structure. Unit-based decision-making is fundamental to our shared decision-making model.

Each of the five councils has its own strategic goals and working objectives, which are outlined here:

Practice and Quality Council

Purpose: To empower nurses as frontline leaders to take appropriate professional responsibility for patient safety and delivering quality care. The responsibilities of the council include implementing and establishing a standards-based nursing practice; functioning as a resource regarding nursing practice issues; and participating in interdisciplinary problem-solving for clinical practice issues and processes that affect patient outcomes. The council oversees the nurse-sensitive quality indicators through data-driven improvement processes.

Evidence-Based Practice Council

Purpose: To improve the quality of care and patient outcomes by generating recommendations for practice based on the systematic review of clinical evidence and research. The council also provides education to nurses regarding evidence-based practice and its use in the clinical practice.

Nursing Interdisciplinary Research Council

Purpose: To contribute to the body of nursing research knowledge by creating interdisciplinary partnerships that conduct, interpret and evaluate research findings for clinical practice.

Professional Development Council

Purpose: To provide oversight and opportunities for competency-based clinical advancement along with resources to maintain competency. The council also promotes personal and professional growth and development for nurses, focusing on orientation, in-service education, continuing education, formal education and career development.

Advanced Practice Nurses Council

Purpose: To provide a forum for addressing advanced practice nursing issues in an effort to promote and facilitate advanced UofL Health Care practice nursing. Our ability to communicate effectively and efficiently within a shared decision-making environment impacts everything we do.