Professional Practice

The inspiration for our nursing Professional Practice Model quilt came from our founders -- a women’s sewing circle who called themselves the Le Bonheur Club. The patchwork quilt symbolizes our relationships and the diversity of our team. Our nurses are all uniquely talented -- and together, we work toward one common goal: to be at our best while caring for our patients and families.

Our professional practice is rooted in the five Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare values: service, quality, integrity, teamwork and innovation. These values anchor and drive our practice. Patients and families are at the heart and center of all we do. Caring is the work of nursing. The other foundational principles of our nursing practice model include:

Patient Care Delivery

Patient care delivery at Le Bonheur is focused on the patient and family. Nurses at Le Bonheur provide care through our commitment to the following:

Compassion

• We support the patient and family spiritually, physically and emotionally.
• We serve with a compassionate spirit and treat others with dignity and respect.
• We recognize that the nurse/patient relationship is an important factor in the healing process.

Evidence-based Practice

• We use evidence and best practices to guide, support and improve patient outcomes.
• We are engaged in data collection and analysis to improve practice.
• We are committed to the advancement of nursing through research and dissemination of the findings.

Innovation

• We are personally willing to change. We are curious and openly seek new approaches, processes, technology and practices to improve outcomes.
• We collaborate with patients, families and our team to implement new ways of improving the health care experience.

Transformational Leadership

The basis for our excellent professional practice begins with strong leadership. At Le Bonheur, we are committed to the following:

Shared Governance

• Nurses are empowered to make a difference through active involvement in decisions that affect nursing practice.
• Structures support the voice of our profession.We define, promote and evaluate our practice through the voice of the nurse.
• There are three levels within our shared governance structure:

           1) Unit-Based Clinical Practice Councils
           2) Support Councils
           3) Coordinating Councils

Professionalism

• We recognize and maintain boundaries that establish appropriate limits to relationships.
• We promote active involvement in nursing professional organizations.
• We conduct ourselves and behave in ways that exemplify the professional nurse.

Stewardship

• We accept and honor the trust placed in us through our faith-based mission.
• We follow through on all commitments.We maximize care by wisely using our resources.

Achievement and Recognition

We support our nursing practice at Le Bonheur through achievement and recognition. We are committed to the following:

Lifelong Learning

• We are curious and seek new approaches, processes, technology and practices to improve outcomes.
• We own and promote opportunities for professional growth.
• We recognize that learning is an ongoing process whereby both the learner and the teacher grow.

Professional Development

• We create an atmosphere that promotes personal and professional growth and change.We support growth through both formal and informal processes.
• We provide opportunities to achieve professional goals.
• Professional development programs at Le Bonheur include RISE (RNs in Search of Excellence), a clinical ladder for the bedside nurse, financial support for specialty certification and nursing scholarships

Acknowledgement

• We value the accomplishments of our profession.
• We recognize and make visible the contributions of our colleagues.We celebrate our successes.

Celebration

• We celebrate the lives of children and their families.
• We acknowledge the importance of celebrating the successes of our patients, families and staff.
• Nurses are celebrated at Le Bonheur through Nursing Stars, Power of One and DAISY Awards.

Professional Relationships

Nursing practice at Le Bonheur is supported through our professional relationships. We are committed to the following:

Community Outreach

• We develop partnerships to identify the health care needs within the community.
• We extend our practice in the community to meet the health care needs of patients/families and groups.
• We support the community through volunteerism.

Teaching

• We encourage an atmosphere that promotes the opportunity for something extraordinary to happen.
• We incorporate teaching into all aspects of care.
• We openly share information with patients and families to receive the best outcomes.
• We actively contribute to the professional development of others.

Partnerships

• We believe that patients and families are our partners in care.
• We believe that the collegial partnerships are fundamental to safe, reliable care.We openly share information to achieve the best outcome.

Accountability

• We are accountable for the quality of patient care by maintaining competence.
• We practice according to our profession’s code of ethics, standards of practices and legal regulations.
• We hold ourselves and others accountable for actions and outcomes in the care of our patients, their families and each other.
• We are accountable for the delegation of nursing care activities to nurses and other health care workers.