Use the table below to determine if this is a decision the team can make on their own:
Next, use this "How to Resolve PINS Guide" to determine the level of difficulty to resolve (L1-L4). It can help you understand how long it will take, who might be needed, and if/when to advance to other councils for assistance.
Determine PINS priority and whether to pursue.
What is the degree of URGENCY?
- High = preventing work
- Medium = needs attention
- Low = nice to have
What is the FEASIBILITY?
- Can the PINS be achieved with existing resources?
- Does the team have bandwidth to address?
Is it IMPORTANT to the team?
- All members should feel accountable for the group’s decisions and final outcomes.
- If you don’t have consensus, take a vote! (see Shared Governance Bylaws ↓ )
Consensus occurs when everyone is present and in agreement. We achieve consensus, or group agreement, by discussing ideas and opinions in a respectful manner during huddles or meetings. It's crucial to recognize that disagreement isn't a bad thing; rather, it helps us steer clear of groupthink. Groupthink arises when teams prioritize consensus over critical thinking in decision-making, potentially leading to flawed decisions, limited perspectives, and unwarranted confidence.
2. If no consensus, take a vote!
If everyone isn’t on board, the Team Chair leads a vote using the following four principles:
Representation: “Representation” means that Team Chairs make sure that team members affected by the decision are included in the decision-making. If team members aren’t present for the vote, they can share their vote with another team member or Team Chair before/after the discussion.
- Voting options (find one that works best for your team):
- Leave tick marks on PINS
- Post a voting sheet on unit/in clinic
- Electronic polls with a deadline
Quorum: A “quorum” is the minimum number of team members that need to be present to make a decision. Team Chairs can determine a quorum for PINS that have limited impact on the team (e.g., L1 PINS). The vote can then be taken by all members present at the time. For Excellence Councils, a quorum must have at least 50% members present of which at least 75% are clinical RNs and no more than 25% can be leaders.
Voting: Team Chairs can also request that absent team members vote on the issue before a final decision is made:
- Adoption of a decision, with a quorum, is two thirds of the vote (clear majority).
- Abstentions (declining to vote) are excluded when calculating a vote.
Tiebreaker: The team will adopt the chair/co-chair’s vote(s) as the final direction to resolve any tie-breaker situations.
3. Appeals process
If a team member(s) strongly disagrees with the final decision or how the decision was made, they can escalate concerns in writing to AskNursing@hsc.utah.edu no later than 2 days after the motion has passed. A member of the Coordinating Council will review all concerns and help determine next steps.
See the complete Shared Governance Bylaws here.
