MaineHealth Maine Medical Center (MHMMC) Portland offers many opportunities for nurses to thrive and excel in today’s complex health care environment. We support nursing professional practice with a state-of-the-art simulation laboratory, professional development opportunities and strong local and national academic partnerships.
Interprofessional collaboration and partnerships, including patients and families, leads to a culture of excellence in evidenced-based practice. And, our robust research program allows nurses to study and test current clinical practice guidelines and advance standards of care. By supporting nurses with the tools they need to provide excellent care, we achieve extraordinary patient outcomes.
Professional practice model
Partnership with patients, families, interdisciplinary care team members and communities are at the center of our professional practice model. The model exemplifies professionalism in nursing where evidence-based practice, ethical care, self-regulation/governance, accountability and service come alive. The MaineHealth mission, vision and values form the foundation of our professional practice model.
In alignment with the ANCC Magnet model, we focus on transformational leadership, structural empowerment, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge, innovations and improvements to achieve exceptional empirical outcomes. Areas of special focus include patient satisfaction, staff satisfaction, professional development, value-based care and reduction of hospital acquired infections.
A dedicated professional practice office monitors priority processes per regulatory standards of practice, national patient safety goals and MHMMC Portland’s nursing strategic plan. Nurse satisfaction, nursing sensitive indicators, patient experience and HCAHPS data are submitted to national data banks and benchmarked with peer institutions.
Clinical nurse advancement program
MHMMC Portland’s clinical nurse advancement program (CNAP) formally recognizes and rewards increasing levels of nursing clinical expertise and commitment to patient care, MHMMC Portland, and to the nursing profession. The program offers MHMMC Portland nurses an opportunity for career development and recognition for advancement in their area of practice.
Nurses must be licensed to practice in the State of Maine, must document their education and experience, demonstrate competence, and adhere to the profession's ethical standards as well as the standards of MHMMC Portland. Each nurse assumes responsibility for their own career goals, and within the parameters of the program, establishes an individual rate of progression through defined levels of practice. These levels represent the standard of practice and professional responsibility deemed acceptable for clinical advancement and recognition at MHMMC Portland.
Professional practice roles
The Certified Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses and Burn Nursing Team partners with nationally known burn experts in leading this cutting-edge burn and soft tissue service. The Burn Program is in an exciting state of growth and preparing for Burn Center Verification. Aspects of the role include:
- Provide clinical expertise in burn and wound nursing care practice through direct and indirect care
- Provide leadership in the care of patients with burn injuries and/or complex wounds
- Help to facilitate/plan interdisciplinary burn team meetings, foster team dynamics and act as a resource for burn team members
- Plan and provide education in the area of burns and wounds to interdisciplinary providers and consumers
- Provide expert consultation to health care providers and others to influence positive patient and family outcomes
- Ensure use of best practice and evidence-based care
- Follow patients through all phases of recovery including critical/acute care, out-patient care and reconstructive phases to help them achieve the best possible outcomes
Our team of Diabetes RNs demonstrate their expertise and professionalism by being Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) who care for our inpatient population. These nurse educators collaborate with the health care team on the care of acute, episodic illness and insulin pump therapy across the organization for all age populations. This fast pace role:
- provides diabetes education and clinical support to patients and interprofessional staff members in both individual and group settings,
- acts on outcomes data,
- develops and delivers clinical diabetes management protocols or pathways, and
- is a healthcare resource expert for our diabetic patient population.
These expert clinical nurses serve on the Interprofessional Patient Glucose Control Management Team and other glycemic initiatives as needed.
Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNLs) are Master’s prepared, advanced generalist nurses with a specialty certification. They work with patients across the continuum of care within any health care setting to better clinical outcomes. The CNL role was incorporated into our nursing professional practice model in 2006. MHMMC Portland was instrumental at the national and local level with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to champion and implement this new program and nursing role through partnerships between academic and practice leaders in nursing.
Since welcoming the first local cohort of CNLs into practice at MHMMC Portland in 2007, CNLs have demonstrated themselves as leaders within today’s complex health care environment. CNLs serve as an expert resource to the interprofessional teams at the microsystem level with focus on:
- Evidence-based practice
- Care coordination
- Transitions of care
- Interprofessional communication
- Team leadership
- Risk assessment
- Quality improvement
- Outcomes measurement.
CNLs are well positioned at the point of care to facilitate or lead complex change in alignment with a value-based focus that elevates the safety and quality of care for our patients, while reducing health care costs.
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are advanced practice registered nurses who have graduate preparation (Master’s or Doctorate) in nursing. The CNS provides clinical expertise and support to the team caring for patients at the bedside and ensures best practices and evidence-based care are implemented throughout the institution to achieve the best possible patient outcomes. Currently, MHMMC Portland has CNS resources in adult health/geriatrics and critical care.