East Orange General Hospital has the organizational structure and nursing philosophy that are compatible with the American Nurses Association Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice, Code for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, Nursing’s Social Policy Statement, the New Jersey Nursing Practice Act, regulatory requirements and the East Orange General Hospital mission, vision, and values.

The nursing governance structure at East Orange General adopts the councilor approach. The structure is composed of four councils and the Patient Care Leadership Council. Three councils – Professional Practice Council, Nursing Performance Improvement Council, and Nursing Education Council – are staff driven and decisions are made by the members. The Nursing Management Council is comprised of all nurse managers who manage a nursing unit or service. The Patient Care Leadership Council – led by the Chief Nursing Officer – is made up of the chairs of the councils, nurse managers, and directors. The PCLC serves as the highest Nursing Leadership body. The primary function of the PCLC is to create the strategic plans for nursing services and provides the structures and processes that allow for the development and implementation of patient care services initiatives.

Nursing Management Council - Primary Function: Develop and implement initiatives and programs affecting the daily operation of the nursing units. This council is responsible for serving as interdepartmental liaison; monitoring fiscal performance including but not limited to NHPPD, UOS (Unit of Service), and FTEs; developing and implementing processes to improve operational performance; and monitoring and developing appropriate corrective actions to improve Patient/visitor/family satisfaction.

Professional Practice Council - Primary Function: Review and approve standards, policies, and procedures and make decisions relative to the practice of nursing. The council is responsible for designing, developing and promoting a clinical practice environment that fosters personal and professional growth and provides culturally-and linguistically-competent care; integrating evidence-based practice; providing the clinical practitioners an opportunity to develop and/or revise policies, procedures, protocols and clinical information systems affecting nursing practice; and encouraging utilization of research findings through education, replication and implementation.

Nursing Performance Improvement Council - Primary Function: Measure and evaluate the processes and outcomes of nursing practice. This council is responsible for identifying, measuring and monitoring performance improvement activities; coordinating and assisting in planning corrective action for performance improvement initiatives; and evaluating the outcomes and report back findings to the staff and other appropriate councils, committees, teams, managers or administrators.

Nursing Education Council - Primary Function: Address staff competency and implement effective patient education strategies. This council is responsible for coordinating staff education and patient/family education programs based upon identified learning needs; developing and implementing educational programs to enhance the continued competencies of the staff; serving as resource on patient and family education to the staff including but not limited to, determining reading levels of patient education brochure, content and format of in-house education materials and design of patient education documentation forms; and assisting in training practitioners on clinical information systems affecting nursing practice.

East Orange General Hospital Shared Governance Model

Patient Care Services Congress – quarterly meeting of members of all councils, managers and directors.

Patient Care Leadership Council – highest decision-making body; comprised of the chairs of all councils and patient care leaders; led by the Chief Nursing Officer.

Management Council – comprised of all managers and directors responsible for department or service line.

Professional Practice Council – comprised of staff nurses from all specialties where nursing care is provided. Outpatient Departments and departments not directly reporting to the CNO are represented by staff nurses designated by the managers or directors. Responsible for PRIME (Clinical Ladder) Review.

Performance Improvement Council – comprised of all Clinical Coordinators or staff nurses; nurses in specialty roles i.e. IC or Wound Care, are non-voting members. Responsible for Nursing Peer Review.

Education Council – comprised of all Clinical Educators and staff designated as unit-based educators.

Click here for a diagram of EOGH's Shared Governance Model.