Developing a robust professional practice model using a shared governance approach

This article describes the development and implementation of a framework for nursing practice in a freestanding children's hospital and the subsequent improvement process used to transition that framework into a robust professional practice model (PPM). The development of a PPM encompassing all aspects of nursing in all clinical settings is an important milestone on a successful Magnet journey. Strategies for linking the PPM to core processes and structures of nursing are shared. Plans for further study to demonstrate the relationship of a PPM to patient outcomes are discussed.