Opinion of Shared Governance Essay

What is your opinion of shared governance? â€Å"In shared governance, as in nursing, the primary resources for practice are the providers themselves. Thus, to control practice, nurses must have influence over themselves as a professional group,† ( Hess, R. 2011. P.3). I believe when shared governance is actually thoroughly exercised, nurses claim the power they can have by utilizing leadership and optimal practice. I strongly believe this mindset can greatly improve job satisfaction and patient care outcomes. List short-term and long-term advantages and barriers to this type of model. Short-term: sense of empowerment, nurses can influence the processes, staff becomes accountable for their actions Long-term: improves communication and cooperation/teamwork, promotes compromise, since everyone is involved staff learns to listen to other viewpoints. Compared to other types of organizational structures, is a shared governance model better for nursing? I do believe that shared governance is a better model for structure in nursing. This model promotes democracy and teamwork while others tell you what your goals are; shared governance encourages staff to brainstorm their own goals which fosters pride and compliancy. â€Å"Shared governance is collaboration, whether in scheduling staff, educating new staff, or implementing evidence-based practice. It involves teamwork, problem-solving, and accountability, with the goals of improved staff satisfaction, productivity, and patient outcomes. It is working together to make decisions that affect nursing practice and patient care. It is working with other disciplines for the good of the patient. It is collaborating to improve nursing practice,† (Bonsall, L. 2011. p.1) How do Magnet hospitals fit into the shared governance model? Magnet hospitals and shared governance share many characteristics including excellent teamwork, low nurse burnout/turnover rates, and optimal patient outcomes. Each encourages the nurse to express opinions and listen to others’ as well. Open mindedness is coupled with high standard of practice. These two are highly motivational. Resources: Bonsall, L. (2011). What is Shared Governance? Nursing’sCenter in the Round. Retrieved from