Development and implementation of a nursing shared governance toolkit

Background: NSG is a well-established structure for nurses and leaders to collaboratively work to improve nurse satisfaction, patient experience, and patient outcomes. Development of structures to support NSG may take several years. It requires cultural change, professional commitment, and the acquisition of new skills by both the nursing leaders and clinical nurses. Local Problem: Nursing shared governance (NSG) at an acute care Midwestern hospital has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and nurse turnover. Nursing engagement and clinical excellence are heavily driven by professional shared governance structures. Method: The purpose of this project was to develop and implement an area nursing shared governance (ANSGC) toolkit to provide structure and processes in support of clinical excellence outcomes. Kotter’s organizational change model was used to conceptualize and frame this project. Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) steps provided the quality improvement (QI) structure for implementation of standardized meeting agendas and communication. Strategies included educating ANSGC chairs on the toolkit, implementing agendas using the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet ® Recognition Program components, and standardizing communication strategies. Pre- and post-implementation surveys and meeting observation with reflective discussion was completed. Results: ANSGC chairs spent more time developing meaningful agendas independently and in collaboration with a nurse leader. There was statistically significant improvement in implementing Magnet ® components and a trend toward improved communication. Implications for Practice: Creation of an ANSGC toolkit can help ANSGC chairs communicate more effectively with their peers and leaders, and successfully implement Magnet components into meetings