title: The Unit Practice Council: center of professional practice.
abstract: The Unit Practice Council (UPC) is the heart of unit-based activity. There are any number of UPCs in an organization, but Jackson Health System in Miami, FL, has organized 93 UPCs in their 2,200 licensed bed system. There are several points of support for the UPC that Jackson uses including a UPC orientation, guidelines to write a charter, and an implementation guide. Another strong support for the UPC is the use of an external (to the unit) facilitator to help keep the UPC on track and to support the continued contributions of the parts of the system to the whole. Outcomes of the UPCs include improved patient and staff satisfaction, improved quality outcomes, and cost savings to the organization.
authors.affiliation: Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Falls Church, VA, USA. spinkerton@csc.com
authors.forename: SueEllen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pinkerton