Magnet Aligned Accomplishments

• Shared Decision Making - Shared Decision Making (or Shared governance) is the vehicle we use to make informal decisions for nursing practice. Based on our Nursing Bylaws, each unit has a governance group or Unit Based Council (UBC) whose members make decisions regarding nursing practice issues at the unit level. Four overall Councils - Practice, Education, Quality and Leadership - govern issues that cross unit divisions. A Coordinating Council convenes monthly for communication and integration of Council activities.
• Monthly “Nurse Enrichment Day” programs – Lunch hour program featuring speakers and topics of value to nurses with educational contact hours awarded to attendees.

Quick Links: Journey to Magnet Nursing Magnet Resources Magnet Aligned Accomplishments

• Email accounts – All Sparrow nurses are given their own email account upon employment and encouraged to use on-line resources
• Nursing Bylaws – A set of guidelines created by Sparrow nurses that govern their practice and shared decision-making structure.
• Certification reimbursement – This certification reimbursement program was created to encourage professional development in nursing specialties.
• Annual State of Nursing Event - Nursing Bylaws are reviewed and changes voted upon at the annual "State of Nursing." All Sparrow RN’s are invited to this special event that celebrates accomplishments of the nursing staff and is attended by Sparrow leadership, including our Chief Executive Officer.
• Yearly RN Satisfaction Survey – Sparrow RNs are encouraged to voice their opinion annually through the "RN Satisfaction Survey" sponsored by the NDNQI organization. Data gathered is used to make "action plans" leading to continually rising satisfaction scores.
• Nursing Rounds by Nursing Leadership – 9:00 am to 10:00 am is declared a "no meeting time" by Sparrow's Nursing Leadership so they may round on patient units and connect with staff.
• Special RN Badges – All Sparrow RNs receive a special badge upon completion of their orientation program. The badge is worn in addition to the standard employee I.D. badge, and clearly identifies its wearer as an RN.
• N.U.R.S.E. Newsletter – Published monthly, this one page newsletter reviews the accomplishments and current work and other news of Sparrow Nursing Staff.
• The Patient Education TV system – Sparrow nurses were instrumental in the creation of this hospital wide TV system allowing patients to select and view educational videos at their convenience.
• Strategic Planning Retreat – An annual off-campus retreat allowing nursing staff to hear Sparrow’s yearly strategic plan first hand from Hospital Administration and participate in interactive discussion and team building exercises.
• Sparrow Advertising – Sparrow Nurses spoke up! They wanted to see pictures of real Sparrow Nurses in our advertising and promotional materials. As a result, if you see a picture of a “Sparrow Nurse” it most likely really is a Sparrow Nurse!
• Peer Review – Currently programs are being piloted to encourage positive peer review, allowing nursing staff to receive structured input from their co-workers to improve their practice.
• Open Forums from our Chief Nurse Officer – Our Chief Nurse Officer hosts bi-monthly round-table forums allowing staff members to voice concerns, discuss issues and offer ideas.
• Nursing Research – Sparrow nurses are primary investigators in multiple nursing research studies.
• Bi-Annual "Shared Decision Making" forums - Highly rated forums created by Unit Based Council Chairs for the purpose of strengthening the Shared Decision Making process.
• The Transformational Model for the Professional Practice of Nursing, developed by Gail Wolf, RN, PhD, was accepted as Sparrow's Nursing Model of Care in 2006. Transformational Nursing leaders are motivated to provide excellent individualized nursing care. Our nursing motto "Transforming Lives through Patient Care" demonstrates our goal of utilizing the nursing process in collaboration with other disciplines to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Professional Growth is valued and rewarded.

These are only some of the accomplishments coming from our professional nursing staff. If you would like to learn more, please call 517.364.5344.