Nursing Professional Advisory Council

Initiating Improvement through Candid Discussions

Positive change begins with open and honest dialogue, and the Nursing Professional Advisory Council (NPAC) was designed with that in mind. NPAC meetings serve as a forum where representatives from each unit come together to meet with Angela “Angie” Feurer, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, to bring forward issues that are on their mind as well as share successes. It is an opportunity for two-way dialogue and a way for leadership to keep a pulse on the state of nursing at GBMC.

"NPAC offers a unique chance for every staff member, regardless of their unit, to have a voice, address concerns and contribute to the positive evolution of nursing practices at GBMC,” explains co-chair Emily Schmidt, BSN, RN, CNOR. “The feedback we collect through NPAC has allowed us to uncover more widespread issues that we might not have realized were problems.”

Going beyond unit-level discussions, NPAC provides a global perspective of the organization and improvement projects that are in progress. During meetings, the group discusses the progression of current projects and addresses any potential barriers. This includes critical topics like visitor management and security concerns and ongoing IT-related challenges. The group has already impacted meaningful change impacting the entire health system due to feedback in areas such as workplace violence prevention.

"NPAC is truly my favorite committee I am involved in at GBMC,” shares Katie Pasqualini, BSN, RN – Unit 36. “My favorite part of the meeting is when we do ‘Start, Stop, Continue,’ which is when Angie goes around to each member of the group and each person talks about a topic that should either start, stop, or continue.” She explains that it is a safe space for frontline staff to escalate barriers that are being faced on a daily basis. “I truly feel my feedback is valued and taken seriously no matter how small or large the topic is. I frequently receive emails regarding topics that were discussed in NPAC requesting feedback from frontline staff to assess issues/barriers to current processes across the division.”

Katie shares that she loves the environment and level of engagement shown by the members of the group and appreciates the opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet new nurses from areas beyond her own unit. “NPAC is an extremely welcoming committee and has such a wonderful culture," she says, adding that nurses of all experience levels can participate. “This is a great committee for anyone to join if they are passionate about process improvement in order to provide the best care for our patients."

Click here to view a listing of NPAC representatives for various nursing departments.