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There are 30 Champions, representing approximately 15% of the TBDHU staff. The staff represent a wide range of professions and work in programs across the Health Unit. The Champions include public health nurses, managers, health promotion planners, intuitionalists and a social worker.
- The Breastfeeding BPG members include 8 public health nurses and 1 public health nutritionist.
- The Healthy Adolescent BPG members include 6 public health nurses, 1 intuitionalist, 1 health promotion planner and a manager.
- The Women Abuse BPG members include 5 public health nurses, 1 social worker and 1 health promotion planner.
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At the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, a network of Best Practice Champions is comprised of interdisciplinary staff, the majority being nurses, who are:
- Passionate about improving health practice and client care
- Ambassadors of evidence informed decision making in practice, academia, management and policy
- Risk Takers using critical thinking and reflection to imagine alternatives to patient care that may be more effective
- Knowledge professionals, focusing on getting the evidence to provide the best care
- Motivators, mobilizing front line staff to integrate evidence into practice
- Have received special training
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To assist the Thunder Bay District Health Unit with implementing the 3 best practice guidelines, Best Practice Champions:
- Create awareness of the best practice program and guidelines among staff
- Focus on getting research into practice
- Create a culture of innovation
- Influence staff, groups and committees to consider best practices
- Coordinate and facilitate the training of staff in best practice implementation
- Provide resource support for bridging the gap between evidence and practice with strategies to implement specific guidelines
- Share advice and strategies with other champions within the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, at local events on the “Nursing Best Practices Champion Network”, and at conferences and workshops
- Encourage other staff to become Best Practice Champions
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By using the best available research, Champions ensure that clients will receive the best health care based on evidence resulting in better health outcomes and a better quality of life. Champions assist staff and management with clinical decision making to:
- Evaluate the appropriateness of current nursing practice
- Stop interventions or programs that are ineffective on care and service or can cause harm
- Create efficient methods of health practice by transferring research evidence into practice
- Develop policies and educational programs
- Ensure consistency in client care and service
- Reduce the variations in care
- Reduce cost in service
Effective champions are aware of the process of change as well as the content of the change they are supporting. Because staff often get caught up in “what” has to be changed, they often forget about the process of change, or “how” the change should be carried out. Here is where Champions have their greatest impact. They are a critical part of the change process, acting in ways that include: challenging the status quo, making the comfortable uncomfortable, clearly communicating the change, inviting participation, raising awareness, mentoring colleagues in new behaviours, supporting beginning steps, and cheering success (Bajnok, 2009)!
To learn more, click here.
To learn more about Registered Nursing Association of Ontario Champions and how to become a Champion, click here.
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