Professional Governance Implementation:: Successes, Failures, and Lessons Learned

Abstract

Nursing professional governance structures provide the foundation and promote ownership of practice, accountability of practice outcomes, and partnerships based on equity with interprofessional colleagues within an organization. Shifting from a shared governance mindset to a professional governance mindset requires a culture change in addition to the development of professional governance structures. As with any structure and culture change, there are challenges, successes, opportunities for improvement, and many lessons learned. This paper shares the experience of one organization on the journey toward a culture and structure of professional governance. Nursing professional governance structures provide the foundation and promote ownership of practice, accountability of practice outcomes, and partnerships based on equity with interprofessional colleagues within an organization. Shifting from a shared governance mindset to a professional governance mindset requires a culture change in addition to the development of professional governance structures. As with any structure and culture change, there are challenges, successes, opportunities for improvement, and many lessons learned. This paper shares the experience of one organization on the journey toward a culture and structure of professional governance. R. Coleen Wilson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, is Director of Adult Inpatient Nursing at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center in Santa Monica, California. She can be reached at [email protected] Lee Galuska, PhD, RN, NE-BC, is Executive Director, Nursing Practice, Education and Research, UCLA Health at UCLA Health System, Center for Nursing Excellence, in Los Angeles, California.