Improving evidence based essential care and nurse engagement through Unit Practice Councils

The increased complexity of care and a shortage of nurses require innovative solutions to improve patient care and quality. A promising solution seems to be the hospital Unit Practice Council (UPC), in which the professional governance of nurses is actualized.

Unit Practice Council (UPC)

A UPC provides a structure to increase nurses’ engagement and evidence-based practice. The working method in the UPC facilitates the improvement of evidence-based essential care in shared decision-making with patients and other healthcare professionals. This method is new to many nurses. They now experience their work as predominantly task-oriented, with little room for their professional input.

Aim

In this study, the introduction of the UPCs’ working method is implemented and evaluated. The method aims, and this will be measured, the increase of nurse engagement, their evidence-based practice skills, and patient participation, with the ultimate outcome the improvement of essential care.