We believe in shared leadership and clinical care that emphasize quality, safety, interdisciplinary collaboration, collegiality, continuity of care, and professional accountability. We believe that nurses who provide services to our patients are clinical experts. They are able to provide leadership as we move forward in achieving the Lourdes vision, strategic plans and nursing goals.

Our shared leadership model provides the structure by which professional nurses have the opportunity to participate in making decisions that affect their individual practice and delivery of nursing care. Nurses practice in a professional environment that supports their development and expression of clinical, educational, leadership, and evidence-based practice/research-focused expertise. This professional practice environment promotes recruitment and retention of expert nursing staff.

The nursing shared leadership model is supported through the activities of ten nursing committees that report directly to a Nursing Professional Practice Council. By accepting employment at Lourdes, professional nurses accept accountability for their practice and patient care.

Through their Unit Based Practice Councils, all staff nurses have a voice. The Practice Councils are a forum where nurses have the authority to make decisions that will influence care delivery at the unit level. Unit Based Practice Councils are responsible and accountable for the decisions they make. They are obligated to see that these decisions are fully implemented.