Executive Council Bylaws

Article I: Mission

The Nursing Executive Council provides leadership and direction to all Nursing Councils. It serves as a clearinghouse for issues being presented and disseminates them to the appropriate Council for action. In addition, the Nursing Executive Council provides final approval for all Nursing Council recommendations.

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of the Nursing Executive Council is to: 

• Ensure nursing representation on hospital interdisciplinary committees.
• Collaborate with the CNO to lead the annual goal setting process for the Division of Nursing. 
• Delegate initiatives to the appropriate Nursing Council(s). 
• Review and approve recommended revisions to all Nursing Council bylaws. 
• Provide guidance and support to the chairs and chair-elects of all Councils. 
• Develop and review an annual operations calendar for the purpose of planning Council activities. 
• Review the annual report submitted by each Nursing Council and provide feedback and direction based on information submitted.

Article III: Membership

Section 1

Membership shall include the following: 

• Senior Vice President/ Chief Nursing Officer 
• Vice President/ Associate Chief Nursing Officer 
• Vice President of Surgery Services 
• Chair or designee for each of the Nursing Councils 
• Directors of Nursing 
• Chair of the Nurse Manager Committee

Ad Hoc members: 
Representatives of non-nursing areas involved in clinical practice. Representatives will attend those meetings when their materials/requests are being reviewed for approval or when education issues affect nursing within that setting.

Section 2

Membership Privileges

a. Each Council member/ Clinical service area shall have only one vote.
b. Ad Hoc members will have no voting privileges.

Article IV: Officers

Section 1

a. The Chair is the CNO. In the absence of the CNO the Associate VP or CNO designee shall preside.

Section 2

Duties of the Officers:

The Council Chair will:
a. Schedule and facilitate regular meetings.
b. Develop an agenda for each meeting.
c. Ensure that meeting minutes are maintained and disseminated.
d. Educate staff as to the activities and goals of the Nursing Executive Council.
e. Coordinate the writing of the Executive Council annual report.

Article V: Committees

a. Subcommittees under the Nursing Executive Council will include:

• TBD

b. A task force of Ad Hoc committee members shall be formed at the discretion of the Council to meet the needs of the Council or the hospital as a whole.

Meetings:

a. The Nursing Executive Council will meet once a month.
b. Members must attend at least 75% of yearly meetings to retain their Council membership.
c. Inability to attend a meeting must be clearly communicated to the Chair in advance.
d. It is the responsibility of the Council member to obtain information from the missed meeting and disseminate this to the appropriate groups.

Article VI: Quorum

51% of the voting members of the Nurse Executive Council members shall constitute a quorum for all meetings. A consensus decision making process is preferred; when necessary, a motion will be considered approved when passed by a minimum of 2/3 majority vote.

Article VII: Amendments

a. These bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Council with a quorum of 2/3 attendance and by a 2/3 majority vote.
b. Members shall be notified in writing (14) fourteen days in advance of proposed change.
c. Notification shall include present article and section citation and proposed amendment.
d. The Nursing Executive Council shall review proposed amendments for final approval.