More than 300 nurses from Vanderbilt University Medical Center convened virtually Nov. 14 for the 15th biennial Nursing Staff Bylaws Convention.
As part of VUMC Nursing’s commitment to maintaining shared governance, the bylaws convention provides an opportunity for nurses to actively contribute to and evaluate the frameworks for ethical decision-making, professional accountability and consistent standards of practice under which nurses operate. The VUMC Nursing Staff Bylaws were originally adopted in 1980 and are reviewed and amended every two years.
The Bylaws Task Force began preparing for this year’s convention in March.
“This was my first Nursing Staff Bylaws Convention, and it was an incredible occasion,” said Karen Keady, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, VUMC System Chief Nursing Officer, who chaired the convention. “Experiencing the commitment shown in conducting this process in an organized and truly representative approach emphasizes the lived practice of prioritizing shared governance for all our nursing professionals.”
Delegates are appointed every two years to represent their nursing peers and vote on proposed amendments.
The two categories delegates vote on are divided into editorial and substantive amendments.
Editorial amendments focus on grammatical changes to existing bylaws that do not change the definition or intent of the existing principle. Substantive amendments, however, can affect the meaning of the bylaws by either adding or removing concepts or implementing completely new guidelines.
The convention implemented seven editorial amendments that updated individual and system titles and clarified ambiguous language throughout the document. They also incorporated more inclusive language and models and expanded terminology to explain VUMC Nursing’s commitment to evidence-based practice and research.
Five substantive amendments were approved and detailed:
- Expanding the guidance and support of the Vanderbilt Professional Advancement and Recognition of Excellence Committee
- Providing a comprehensive explanation and purpose for the Nurse Wellness Committee
- Creating a Bylaws Standing Committee Cabinet as a forum to enhance communication and collaboration on nursing initiatives across the health system
- Inclusion of VUMC nurses working in entities wholly or partially owned by VUMC as privileged members of the VUMC nursing staff
- Changing the advanced practice nursing privileging credentialing period from every two years to every three years to reflect updated requirements of the Joint Commission
Melissa McCoy, MSN, RN-BC, director of Nursing Professional Excellence, said, “Our bylaws are over 40 years old, and they outline our commitment to the nursing profession and to each other as nursing peers. This year’s amendments reflect the growth we continue to see in our organization. The convention empowers our nurses to shape their own professional practice and provides the guiding structure on how we self-govern to get work done. Thank you to all of the members of the Bylaws Task Force whose hard work is evidenced through the convention.”
To learn more about VUMC’s shared governance, visit https://www.vumc.org/shared-governance/.
