Nursing Professional Advancement

Mission Statement

To provide a structure where nurses can be recognized for achieved and sustained nursing excellence with performance and contributions to their workplace, organization and the community.

Requirements 

A Registered Nurse (RN) must meet all of the following criteria:

• The recognition of achieving Professional Nurse bronze, silver, gold or platinum level is open to all register nurses employed by UK HealthCare. 
• Completed RN competency packet with supportive documents in areas of:
  • Efficiency
  • Quality and Safety
  • Service Excellence
  • Professional Development for level desired
• A current performance evaluation that reflects the applicant consistently meets or exceeds performance standards. Ask your Patient Care Manager (PCM) or direct supervisor to complete your performance evaluation early if not in sync with the review times. 
• Two peer evaluations that say the applicant consistently achieves or exceeds peer performance standards. (One to be chosen by applicant; the second completed anonymously by someone the PCM or direct supervisor chooses). Pool RNs must have feedback from a co-worker from a unit on which they consistently work. 

Rewards

Recognition available to RNs EMPLOYED in a hospital unit or hospital-based clinic:

A.    Non-salaried RNs at a grade level 10 or 11 who provide direct patient care (0.2 FTE must document a minimum of 480 hours annually). Direct patient care is defined as:

• Provides direct hands-on patient care (e.g. take patient assignments, performs patient evaluation at bedside, monitors/manages patients post change in level of care)  and/or
• Provides direct patient/family education and teaching and/or
• Provides bedside coaching of other nurses
• Non-salaried RNs at a grade level 10 in a clinical nurse job title
• Non-salaried RNs at a grade level 10 not in a clinical nurse job title who successfully document they meet the above criteria, including the actually number of hours spent providing direct patient care
• Non-salaried RNs at a grade level 11 who successfully document how they meet the above criteria including the actual number of hours spent providing direct patient care

Are eligible for the following recognition:

1. Recognition of achieving the level status
2. Portfolio may be used to support performance evaluation
3. Level differentials, conference money and professional leave:
   Novice: no level differential, professional leave or conference money
   Advanced Beginner: no level differential, professional leave or conference money
   Competent RN: no level differential, professional leave or conference money
   Bronze Level: $1.00/hr differential, 16 hours of external professional leave biannually, no conference money
   Silver Level: $1.25/hr differential, 16 hours of external professional leave biannually, $750 for conference attendance biannually
   Gold Level: $1.75/hr differential, 32 hours of external professional leave biannually, $1,000 for conference attendance biannually
   Platinum Level: $2.00/hr differential, 40 hours of external professional leave biannually, $1,500 for conference attendance biannually

B.    Non-salaried RNs at grade level 10 or 11 who do not perform 50 percent of their FTE in direct patient care, non-salaried RNs at grade level 12 or above and all salaried RNs are eligible for the following recognition:

• Will receive the recognition of achieving the level status
• Portfolio may be used to support performance status
• Will be given first consideration when selecting individuals to travel for educational opportunities, recruiting events and other forms of recognition by Nursing Services.

C.    Recognition available to RNs NOT EMPLOYED in a hospital unit or hospital-based clinic:

• Will receive the recognition of achieving level status
• Portfolio may be used to support performance status