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Inspiring Innovation: Re-Energizing Shared Governance in a Health Care System

Monday, November 2, 2009: 4:10 PM

Jean Just, MSN, RN, BC
Nursing and Patient Education, The University Medical Center, Columbus, OH
Linda A. Chase, RN, MA, NEA-BC
University Hospitals/Ross Hospital, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH

Presentation File (PDF Format)

Learning Objective 1: examine how shared goverance is a foundation for nursing leadership, empowerment and autonomy in a health care system.

Learning Objective 2: describe the process for the re-design of a current shared governance model using transformational leadership and shared decision making.

The concept and elements of shared governance decision making has existed in high performing organizations for years and has become the foundation of leadership, autonomy and empowerment in the nursing enterprise.  As more and more hospitals become part of complex health care systems the need to expand the current vision and transform shared governance into a broader and even more creative structure has emerged.  Using an evidenced based approach a series of focus groups were orchestrated in a complex system to glean recommendations from all levels of staff.   Based on the focus group input a 12 member design team was developed and re-engineered a new model for a five hospital system which further strengthened the tenets of shared governance.  

The presentation will illustrate and provide an approach for how transformational leadership has optimized an existing shared governance model using the foundation of shared decision making in the process.  This approach of turning shared governance “inside out” to make it even stronger results in nursing excellence and satisfaction.  It is necessary to continually evaluate and redevelop current systems in order to have the most effective horizontal and vertical communication mechanisms.  The 12 member design team developed a feasible model to meet the unique needs of the health system after being supported in their efforts at a 3-day retreat.   The steps along the way on this continued journey to excellence will be shared in this presentation.

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