Enhancing and Advancing Shared Governance Through a Targeted Decision-Making Redesign

OBJECTIVEThe study aim was to determine if a targeted redesign of shared decision making improved shared governance (SG). BACKGROUNDNursing SG is collaborative decision making between nurses at every level; it improves quality of care, empowers nurses, and enhances nurse satisfaction. METHODSUsing a quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest design, researchers electronically distributed the Index of Professional Nursing Governance (IPNG) to an inclusive, convenience sample of RNs in a Magnet®-designated 377-bed community medical center. Preintervention scores were used to tailor a redesign of shared decision making, and postintervention data were collected within 1 year to measure outcomes. RESULTSIPNG overall score and 5 of 6 subscale scores significantly increased after the redesign. CONCLUSIONSChanges to an SG structure can take 2 to 5 years to be realized. Our findings corroborate that the IPNG is a valuable tool in promoting setting-specific SG.