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19 NNOC/NNU 101 » The Organization NURSING PRACTICE AND PATIENT ADVOCACY The Nursing Practice and Patient Advocacy program is involved in five broad categories of activities: X Nursing practice issue research, analysis, and resolution X Patient advocacy X Continuing education X Competency X Safe patient care PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES To advocate for direct-care nurses and patients on all public policy matters related to safe care and nursing practice, including safe nurse-to-patient ratios and patient advocacy rights and duties. The Nursing Practice department provides continuing education programs and monitors professional practice issues and trends affecting direct-care RNs. The department is a resource for the CNA/NNOC con- tract-mandated Professional Practice Committees (PPC) in each facility to ensure that nursing practice laws, patient advocacy regulations, and professional practice standards are achieved, observed, and protected. The Nursing Practice department conducts research, liter- ature reviews, synthesis, and analysis on issues within its area of concern; drafts practice and policy position state- ments; collaborates with Legal, Government Relations, Communications, and Collective Bargaining departments; serves as a resource on nursing practice issues for labor representatives and organizing staff; provides oral and written testimony and submits public comments on behalf of the organization. The member-led Joint Nursing Practice Commission (JNPC) makes policy recommendations to the Board of Directors on nursing practice issues. The JNPC is responsible to the House of Delegates, and between sessions of the House, to the Board of Directors, for carrying out the directions of the House and abiding by the organization's bylaws. The JNPC promotes the professional, educational, eco- nomic advancement, and government relations/political education of nurses; contributes to identifying, mentoring, and supporting new nurse leader-activists. The JNPC reviews and promotes implementation of professionally recognized standards of practice; attends, participates, and demonstrates leadership in the member education CE classes. Commissioners are responsible for reporting and dissemi- nating nursing practice alerts to their regional leadership; bringing forward concerns of the membership; analyzing assignment despite objection (ADO) trend-tracking reports; and developing strategies and action plans for facility-based enforcement of nursing practice/patient advocacy contract language. The union's Nursing Practice division is such an essential resource for the Professional Practice Committee, ensur- ing that we have the information we need — nursing practice laws, patient advocacy regulations, professional practice standards — so we can give our patients the care they deserve. I also attend as many NNU CE classes as I can. They are empowering and make me feel positive about our profession. The classes are always in-depth, and they have shown me how vital it is to learn the history of our profession so we can be better patient advocates." — Mawata Kamara, RN CNA/NNOC Board Member, San Leandro Hospital San Leandro, Calif. " The Organization »