Governance Council Research Articles

Commission on collegiate nursing education standards inspire a new model of shared governance

PurposeA school of nursing re-envisioned its faculty organization structure and created a Shared Governance model based on the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Standards (CCNE). The model promotes shared decision-making and encourages nursing faculty and staff to exercise greater control over their professional endeavors. Principal resultsThe Shared Governance model launched as a one semester pilot before it was formally adopted by faculty. Faculty and staff are organized into four councils, each one representing the CCNE standards: Governance, Institutional Resources, Curriculum, and Quality. The Academic Leadership Team meets regularly with Shared Governance Council Chairs to foster communication and ensure a cohesive, proactive approach to conducting school of nursing business. Major conclusionsThe Shared Governance model has provided an excellent mechanism for new school of nursing faculty and staff to become oriented to their roles and the culture of academia. It has broken down silos and increased connections across programs and campuses. Ongoing conversations about the priority work of the school of nursing and each council's coordinated effort to document fulfillment of the Standards gave structure to preparation for our accreditation visit. The accreditation process is no longer seen as the sole responsibility of the Dean and Associate Deans.

Abstract PO1-17-06: Driving diversity in research participation with ShareForCures™, a patient-centered, nationwide breast cancer research registry to improve outcomes

Abstract Background The lack of diversity in research and small and siloed datasets have led to a lack of real-world evidence, limiting our ability to practice precision medicine and optimize treatments and care for all breast cancer patients. Susan G. Komen,® a breast cancer advocacy organization and the largest non-profit breast cancer funder outside the U.S. government, launched ShareForCures™ (SFC), a secure, patient-centered research registry. The registry aims to engage breast cancer survivors from diverse backgrounds as research partners to facilitate sharing of their data to drive innovative breast cancer research and improve outcomes. SFC is IRB-approved and open to any adult living in the U.S. and diagnosed with breast cancer. SFC is designed to be easy to join and accessible online. Participants provide survey information about their diagnosis, quality of life, lifestyle, family history, etc. Some of them will be asked to provide a saliva sample, and their medical records will be retrieved. Methods Patient advocates have driven every aspect of the development of SFC, from serving on its governance council to participating in focus groups and beta-testing the platform build. Most important to the success of the registry was to ensure we worked with community partners to conduct breast cancer survivor focus groups and to solicit views and expectations about patient-centered research engagement. Those focus groups were conducted in 2020 and 2021 in-person (N=4) and virtually (N=8) across the U.S., with three conducted in Spanish. The findings that emerged from the focus groups informed the establishment of SFC, from governance and technology implementation to platform features and processes. For feedback on pre-enrollment information, we invited 432 diverse breast cancer survivors to participate in an audience testing of two versions of a SFC landing page, a flyer, and a social media post. One version was designed to be more technical and the other more inspiring/motivational. Finally, we pilot tested SFC with 56 breast cancer survivors. Those who joined provided feedback through individual debriefing sessions about the onboarding process, consent, the questionnaire (“About You”) and the SFC platform. Results Four main themes emerged from the focus groups (N=64 participants): tailor communications to specific groups of participants, create an environment of trust and transparency, address concerns about data privacy and security, and share news and results. Audience testing on SFC materials revealed the majority liked positive personal messaging, although technical messaging highlighting the science, research, and data was also favorably reviewed. Participants ranked privacy and data security as priority concerns. Of the 56 breast cancer survivors invited to participate in the pilot testing of SFC, 31 fully onboarded, three started but did not complete onboarding, and six declined. To fully onboard, participants had to accept the informed consent and medical records release forms and complete the “About You” questionnaire. They indicated the process and online platform were easy, and the dashboard was an important feature for participants to stay engaged. They also confirmed focus group emphasis on clarity regarding SFC research goals and importance of sharing results. Conclusions All individuals who provided feedback expressed interest in sharing their experiences, inspiring others’ experiences, and accelerating research. They understood that this research may not benefit them directly but that it could benefit others. The results indicate that people are willing to participate in research if asked. Komen’s patient-centered approach of involving patients at all steps of developing SFC fosters trust, transparency and engagement that will enhance SFC’s impact. Citation Format: Jerome Jourquin, Stephanie McCoy, Barbara Segarra, Emily Marks, Carlita Proctor McIlwain, Brady Kazar, Melissa Troester, Kimberly Sabelko, Melissa Bondy. Driving diversity in research participation with ShareForCures™, a patient-centered, nationwide breast cancer research registry to improve outcomes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-17-06.

Enhancing patient safety: A national standard for cyber resiliency in healthcare.

With support from Public Safety Canada's Cyber Security Cooperation Program, HealthCareCAN and the Digital Governance Council developed a new standard to support cyber resiliency in Canada's healthcare system. With a clear framework and enhanced cybersecurity capabilities, healthcare organizations will be better protected from cybercrime, allowing them to respond more effectively to evolving threats and defend critical infrastructure. Health and information technology leaders can derive practical guidance and next steps from this three-year national project to enhance cyber resilience and improve safety within their organizations.

Stronger together: PA and APRN shared governance council drives transformational change.

Physician associates/assistants (PAs) and advanced practice RNs (APRNs) are a vital part of the healthcare team. As the PA and APRN workforce continues to grow, collaborations can move beyond the bedside. With organizational support, a shared APRN/PA Council allows these clinicians to raise a collective voice on issues that are unique to their practice and to implement meaningful solutions, thus improving the quality of their work environment and clinician satisfaction.

Enhanced Implementation of Community Learning Center Based on the Reading Level of the Learners of San Roque Elementary School During Pandemic

This study was conducted to compare the reading level based on the assessment to determine the perceived effectiveness level in establishing community learning centers and their views on implementing the CLCs to redesign the project implementation plan. Sequential explanatory of mixed method design was used to complete this action research. The study involved thirty (30) learners as research participants. Specifically, using stratified sampling, ten (10) learners in each Grade level in 4, 5, and 6. The target respondents have undergone focus group discussion through home visitation to gather the needed data through an interview and conduct the PHIL-IRI Test as a reading assessment. Then, documentary analysis was used based on the results for developing the target output. The study found out that although Community Learning Centers were perceived to be effective, the following can be considered for improvement: Establishing CLCs to establish rapport with community members such as parents, youth, LGU, and other stakeholders; CLCs as a venue for material distribution and retrieval; and CLCs to encourage volunteers to assist teachers in the delivery of quality learning instruction to learners. This study implies that CLCs must be the teachers’ and community members’ responsibility. Teachers and School Governance Council should work hand in hand in sustaining the establishment of CLCs in every Sitio.

Shared governance council to engage advanced practice registered nurses in a hospital setting.

Health care organizations use advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to expand patient access and support high-quality care. However, turnover, often exacerbated by inadequate engagement, has steep financial and experiential costs. The project site, a large urban academic institution with quaternary care capabilities, employs more than 300 APRNs to provide patient care. Due to variations in hiring entity, leadership structure, and organizational visibility, efforts to maintain APRN engagement were complex. In addition, inconsistencies in standardization of clinical, credentialing, and privileging procedures created organizational risk. Quality improvement principles informed the implementation of a shared governance council for APRNs that included nurse practitioners and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Data were collected pre and postintervention using validated engagement questions. Implementation of a shared governance council to support the organizational engagement of APRNs through decisional involvement in professional practice issues. Analysis included the percentage of change in aggregate scores and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test to obtain p values of the 2 independent samples. There was an 8.9% increase in aggregate postintervention scores and statistical improvement in measures of quality improvement involvement. Participation in the shared governance council increased APRN engagement through enhanced opportunities to communicate professional and clinical practice issues, decisional involvement, and collaboration. Statistically significant improvements in quality improvement involvement values potentially affirm the council's role in facilitating work environment improvements. Potential long-term gains include improved job satisfaction, retention, and organizational cost savings.

Exploring risk governance deficits of maritime Search and Rescue in Canada

Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) is an essential component of ensuring the safety of life at sea. Canadian SAR regions comprise vast sea areas, posing challenges to incident response. A wide range of maritime activities takes place, each having a different risk profile. The multitude of national and international regulatory commitments, rightsholder and stakeholder interests, and the need for efficient SAR response in changing climatic conditions, point to the need for effective societal risk governance. This article provides insights in shortcomings and improvement opportunities of maritime SAR risk governance in Canada, as understood by experts from responsible maritime authorities. The relevant current regulatory context and governance practices are described first, giving particular focus to the legal basis, roles and responsibilities, engagement processes with rights- and stakeholders, and the applied risk assessment tools to support decision-making. Subsequently, an exploratory research methodology based on interviews with federal civil servants and literature is performed to understand risk governance deficits, using a set of commonly found deficits identified by the International Risk Governance Council. The results indicate that the main deficits pertain to the lack of organizational capacity and dealing with dispersed responsibilities. Furthermore, deficits are identified in terms of obtaining factual knowledge of the risk, dealing with risk perceptions, understanding complex systems, and adequately involving rights- and stakeholders in risk assessment. The results serve as an initial basis to develop policy and management strategies for alleviating the identified deficits. Acknowledging the limitations of the exploratory study, several avenues for future research are outlined.

Engaging Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation Council Members in Shared Governance Through Experiential Learning

This article aims to share the experience of a large academic medical center’s journey to build a highly engaged, strong-performing, and productive Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation Shared Governance Council. An experiential learning approach was initiated to further engage and teach staff nurse council members about evidence-based practice (EBP) and research. Using monthly council meetings, the Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation Council successfully completed 1 EBP project and 1 research project. Staff nurses appreciated the connection between research, EBP, and the development/refinement of nursing policies. This article aims to share the experience of a large academic medical center’s journey to build a highly engaged, strong-performing, and productive Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation Shared Governance Council. An experiential learning approach was initiated to further engage and teach staff nurse council members about evidence-based practice (EBP) and research. Using monthly council meetings, the Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Innovation Council successfully completed 1 EBP project and 1 research project. Staff nurses appreciated the connection between research, EBP, and the development/refinement of nursing policies. Esther Chipps, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, Clinical Nurse Scientist, Clinical Professor, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University College of Nursing. She can be reached at [email protected]; Amy Knupp, PhD, RN, APRN-CNS, CPPS, Associate Director, Nursing CE Programming and Clinical Placement, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Jane Ginther, DNP, APRN-CNP, Nurse Practitioner, Orthopedic Trauma, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Laurel Courtney, MS, APRN-CNS, AOCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Informatics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; Samantha Warren, BSN, RN, PCCN, Staff Nurse, Cardiac Medical ICU, The Ohio State University Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital; Sherry Levering, DNP, RN, Staff RN, Medical-Surgical Nursing, The Ohio State University, Hospital East; Kimberly Brown, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Director of Nursing Professional Practice and Regulatory Affairs, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

An Examination on Perceptions of Student Governance Council Communication Skills Necessary in the Governance of Public Secondary Schools within Bondo Sub-county in Siaya County, Kenya

Student governing council skills has been an issue of concern in school administration. Much research has centered on the need for training the student governing council in secondary school administration without adequately identifying the needed skills to address school administration challenges that are reducing tension in the school, which may lead to student unrest and, consequently, the destruction of school property. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the training needs of the student governing council (SGC) in public secondary schools. This examination of skills needed will determine a deficit in performance and determine the training needs of the student council so that SGC could be equipped with the necessary skills to enhance their competency to accomplish their roles (Bhasin, 2021). The objectives of the study were to:Establish the existence of a student governance council in public secondary schools, and Examine perceptions on SGC communication skills necessary in public secondary school governance The theoretical framework that guided the study was functional Leadership theory. The study adopted a case study design, and the target population was 1729 respondents, while the sample size included: 6 principals, 6 deputy principals, 12 class teachers and 127 student council leadersThe sample of the study for principals and deputy principals was selected by use of purposive sampling from the sample schools. Class teachers were selected by random sampling, and student council leaders were selected by random sampling. Data collection tools were questionnaires for principals, questionnaires for deputy principals, questionnaires for student council leaders, interviews for principals and deputy principals, and focus group discussions for class teachers. The researcher used the test-retest method for the test for validity and reliability. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, which included frequencies, percentages, and means as measures of central tendency, and the analyzed data were presented in charts and tables. The Respondents indicated a high need for training in these skills to improve school governance. The study concluded that communication skills are essential in the student council as they aid the student council representatives in carrying out their mandate, which includes linking the students with the school administration. Lobbying skills, negotiation skills, consensus-building skills, handling of difficult and training on how to handle students with disabilities were highly regarded for training.

A Hospital's Roadmap for Improving Nursing Excellence Using AACN's Healthy Work Environment Standards.

A Hospital's Roadmap for Improving Nursing Excellence Using AACN's Healthy Work Environment Standards.

The risk perception of nanotechnology: evidence from twitter.

Nanotechnology governance, particularly in relation to human and environmental concerns, remains a contested domain. In recent years, the creation of both a risk governance framework and council has been actively pursued. Part of the function of a governance framework is the communication to external stakeholders. Existing descriptions on the public perceptions of nanotechnology are generally positive with the attendant economic and societal benefits being forefront in that thinking. Debates on nanomaterials' risk tend to be dominated by expert groupings while the general public is largely unaware of the potential hazards. Communicating via social media has become an integral part of everyday life facilitating public connectedness around specific topics that was not feasible in the pre-digital age. When civilian passive stakeholders become active their frustration can quickly coalesce into a campaign of resistance, and once an issue starts to develop into a campaign it is difficult to ease the momentum. Simmering discussions with moderate local attention can gain international exposure resulting in pressure and it can, in some cases, quickly precipitate legislative action and/or economic consequences. This paper highlights the potential of such a runaway, twitterstorm. We conducted a sentiment analysis of tweets since 2006 focusing on silver, titanium and carbon-based nanomaterials. We further examined the sentiment expressed following the decision by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to phase out the food additive titanium dioxide (E 171). Our analysis shows an engaged, attentive public, alert to announcements from industry and regulatory bodies. We demonstrate that risk governance frameworks, particularly the communication aspect of those structures must include a social media blueprint to counter misinformation and alleviate the potential impact of a social media induced regulatory and economic reaction.

Systematising Pharmacovigilance Engagement of Patients, Healthcare Professionals and Regulators: A Practical Decision Guide Derived from the International Risk Governance Framework for Engagement Events and Discourse.

IntroductionInput from patients and healthcare professionals to regulatory assessments is essential for benefit–risk management of medicines. How to best obtain input in different risk scenarios is uncertain.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to investigate whether the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) Framework is applicable to pharmacovigilance and can guide selecting engagement mechanisms for optimising stakeholder input.MethodsFor proof-of-concept, classify ‘iconic’ cases of pharmacovigilance engagement at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by IRGC risk scenario types and compare the engagement that happened with the engagement discourse recommended by the IRGC Framework for different risk scenarios. If the concept is proven, derive proposals for strengthening engagement.ResultsSix iconic cases were classified by risk scenario type at the respective time points when deciding on engagement: venous thromboembolism with combined hormonal contraceptives (complex risk); lipodystrophy with highly active antiretroviral therapy medicines, carcinogenicity with contaminated nelfinavir products (uncertain risks); teratogenicity with thalidomide, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy with natalizumab, teratogenicity and developmental disorders with valproate (ambiguous risks). The comparison of the engagement events with IRGC recommendations showed correspondence between the scope/outcomes of the events and the features of the recommended discourse.ConclusionsThe IRGC Framework appears applicable to pharmacovigilance. Proposals derived from the IRGC recommendations may be valuable for guiding regulators when selecting mechanisms for engagement with patients and healthcare professionals in given risk scenarios. The proposed decision guide aims at ensuring systematic and consistent engagement across regulatory assessments and providing for the most purposeful discourse, to effectively obtain real-world input for regulatory risk assessment, evaluation of risk minimisation measures and decision making.

An Experience Developing Nursing Excellence Using the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) manages Magnet Recognition Program® certification. Candidates for this certification are required to pass a review comprising six compulsory documents and 84 sets of written documents in five model components as well as an onsite appraisal. The Magnet Recognition Program® for medical institutes is currently regarded as the highest honor in the nursing field. The series of measures necessary to establish a Magnet-recognized hospital is described in this article. Our hospital began preparation for recognition in January 2016, with the application submitted in May 2017. The required measures include establishing a Professional Practice Model, Governance Council, and National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators as well as implementing a mentoring plan. ANCC approved Magnet Recognition Program® recognition for our hospital in May 2020, making ours the first Magnet-recognized hospital in Taiwan. The nursing staff shared their experiences on their Magnet journey. Magnet-recognition demonstrates that a hospital is adequately equipped and trained to provide patients with outstanding nursing care and to operate an excellent nursing practice environment.

Key features to ensure sustainability of a tele-oncology program at a national cancer center.

e13613 Background: Prior to COVID-19, there were few telehealth services offered in the oncology specialty area. During the pandemic, we at a national cancer center rapidly scaled our oncology telehealth program to meet the needs of our patients. At the peak of the pandemic, telehealth initially served as a risk-mitigation strategy providing continued care to our patients while socially distancing, yet additionally, we have embedded necessary processes in place to create a sustained a telehealth oncology program that encompasses a hybrid model including face to face visits augmented with telehealth visits, where appropriate. Here we describe the key telehealth program features that have enabled a national cancer center to evolve into a hybrid model of oncology care across its five geographically distinct hospitals. Methods: Transitioning into a sustainable hybrid telehealth model of care involves a foundation of clinical leadership and partnerships among multiple departments. The telehealth oncology program leaders collaborate with the operations, technology, finance, clinical care teams, and governance council to implement telehealth growth initiatives and nimbly troubleshoot and ameliorate issues. A concierge service provides telehealth readiness checks to ensure timely resolution of issues. Workflows are followed to standardize processes. Telehealth use-cases ensure patients who need on-site services keep their in-person appointments, allowing telehealth visits for symptom management to enhance patient outcomes. A provider education session includes training on telehealth technology and “webside manner” training to ensure we preserve the personal touch with our patients in each telehealth encounter. Program data is regularly collected and reviewed to track the program’s success and opportunities for improvement. Results: After the initial peak of telehealth visits driven by the COVID pandemic, we continue to see a sustained 10-fold increase in service volume versus Jan/Feb 2020. There were 25,328 total telehealth visits from Mar. 2020-Jan. 2021, 75 clinical trial visits between July-Dec. 2020, and 848 readiness check escalations from Nov. 2020-Dec. 2021. Service lines expanded from 2 to 33, including growing rural health partnerships and a home chemotherapy infusion model. Use-cases expanded to bridge to on-site care, rapid initial visits, preop/postop checks, symptom management, and surveillance. Press Ganey patient satisfaction rates are as high as 92% and 90% of providers reported overall satisfaction with the telehealth consultations. Conclusions: Our key program features have enabled the growth and success of our enterprise tele-oncology program. One of the most promising indicators of success is the positive provider and patient satisfaction rates. Telehealth provides an effective means to provide a bridge to onsite cancer care even for our complex oncology patients.

Risk governance in the transition towards sustainability, the case of bio-based plastic food packaging materials

In the transition to a sustainable society, many new technologies and materials are developed. These often have disadvantages, examples thereof with a sustainability claim that entailed risks to public health are identified. Risk Governance should ideally address and deal with those potential risks. However, governance mechanisms to efficiently deal with these risks seem to be lacking. In this study, the Risk Governance in the lifecycle of three innovative bio-based plastic food contact materials (FCMs) were evaluated. Interviews were conducted with representatives of all stages in the lifecycle to identify risk management strategies to prevent or control public health risk. Experts were asked to share their views on the identified strategies. Nineteen different risk management strategies have been identified from the three case studies and compared with the principles of the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) framework and showed that less than 50% corresponded to those of the IRGC framework. In addition, eighteen randomly sampled bio-based FCMs were chemically analysed to get insight in the presence of potentially hazardous substances. The presence of hazardous chemicals in the bio-based FCMs provide indications of potential chemical health risks. Apparently, there is no structural application of risk governance in the three bio-based FCM studied. Strategies are applied to manage public health risks, but these are usually implemented too limited to effectively manage the identified risks.

Board diversity: female director participation and corporate innovation

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of board female participation on Australian firms’ innovation. Design/methodology/approach Data are from the 500 largest Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed companies for 2004–2015. Measures of innovation concern input (research and development expenditure and intangible assets) and output (patents registered) indicators. Findings A positive and significant association exists between female director participation and firm innovation activity. This association exists across industry classifications independent of technological importance and is particularly driven by materials and health-care sectors. Findings support calls for more board diversity in line with board female membership positively influencing innovative investment and development activities. Practical implications The economic efficacy of the latest revisions to the ASX Corporate Governance Council principles and recommendations (“ASX CGC revisions”) is supported. Diverse boards are a strong source of innovation. Regulators and corporations can use the findings to establish principles and practices that promote female board diversity. Originality/value This study is the first to examine the link between board diversity and corporate innovation in Australia where there is under-representation of women on corporate boards and in key management positions. Also lacking are formal legislative or governance policy mandates on board gender diversity. Beyond confirming a positive association between board diversity and levels of corporate innovation, this paper provides new findings that this relationship is driven by women who are non-executive (independent) directors, independent of the underlying technology intensity of firms and moderated by the nature of firm-level profitability and growth opportunities.

A combined multi-criteria approach to assess forest management sustainability: an application to the forests of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace Region in Greece

Sustainable forest management should be pursued in all public forests of the EU countries, as this constitutes a legal requirement within the frame of the FOREST EUROPE policy. However, the forest management sustainability assessment process is a complex task, mainly because it involves integration of multiple environmental, socio-economic and institutional impacts at different spatial scales of different forest management policies, which are considered for implementation at any forest location. Moreover, the conflicts and interests of the various stakeholders related to the forest resources should be included in the assessment process. Much of the on-going research, therefore, focuses on the development of tools that can facilitate the integration of the different type of forest resource impacts and conflicts towards achievement of forest management sustainability. This paper presents a multi-criteria approach, which combined spatial analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), spatially referenced impact indicator models for pairwise comparisons, the fuzzy extent analysis, fuzzy preference programming and the ideal solution concept in order to assess the performance of forest management sustainability at regional level. The combined multi-criteria approach was successfully implemented to the forests of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region in northern Greece through the operation of the National Forest Governance Council. Seven forest management policies were subjected to sustainability assessment and an Overall Forest Sustainability Performance Index (OFSPI) was calculated for each one of them. The final ranking of the forest management policies was based on their OFSPI values. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to explore robustness of the final solution.

Embedding Ethical Impact Assessment in Nanosafety Decision Support

Nanotechnology is a key enabling technology, which is developing fast and influences many aspects of life. Nanomaterials are already included in a broad range of products and industrial sectors. Nanosafety issues are still a matter of concern for policy makers and stakeholders, but currently, there is no platform where all stakeholders can meet and discuss these issues. A comprehensive overview of all the issues in one single dashboard presenting the output of a decision support system is also lacking. This article outlines a strategy for developing one innovative part of a modular decision support system, designed to support the work of a new Risk Governance Council (RGC) for nanomaterials which will be established through the combined efforts of the GOV4NANO, NANORIGO, and RiskGONE H2020 projects. This new module will consist of guidelines for Ethical Impact Assessment (EIA) for nanomaterials and nanoenabled products. This article offers recommendations for adapting the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) prestandard on Ethical Impact Assessment CWA (CEN Workshop Agreement) 17145-2:2017 (E), to fit into the more-encompassing decision support system for risk governance of nanomaterials within the RiskGONE project.

Risk Governance of Emerging Technologies Demonstrated in Terms of its Applicability to Nanomaterials.

Nanotechnologies have reached maturity and market penetration that require nano-specific changes in legislation and harmonization among legislation domains, such as the amendments to REACH for nanomaterials (NMs) which came into force in 2020. Thus, an assessment of the components and regulatory boundaries of NMs risk governance is timely, alongside related methods and tools, as part of the global efforts to optimise nanosafety and integrate it into product design processes, via Safe(r)-by-Design (SbD) concepts. This paper provides an overview of the state-of-the-art regarding risk governance of NMs and lays out the theoretical basis for the development and implementation of an effective, trustworthy and transparent risk governance framework for NMs. The proposed framework enables continuous integration of the evolving state of the science, leverages best practice from contiguous disciplines and facilitates responsive re-thinking of nanosafety governance to meet future needs. To achieve and operationalise such framework, a science-based Risk Governance Council (RGC) for NMs is being developed. The framework will provide a toolkit for independent NMs' risk governance and integrates needs and views of stakeholders. An extension of this framework to relevant advanced materials and emerging technologies is also envisaged, in view of future foundations of risk research in Europe and globally.

Driving Nurse Satisfaction Through Shared Governance

Within a Magnet®-designated academic medical center, registered nurse (RN) satisfaction survey results demonstrated opportunities to further enhance decision-making. The aim of this initiative was to improve RN satisfaction through the implementation and standardization of shared governance resources. Led by clinical nurses supporting the shared governance council, innovative tools were implemented and disseminated through a multimodal communication approach across the department of nursing. Significant improvements in RN satisfaction were noted as a result of the targeted interventions. This initiative highlighted the need for standardized resources to grow and support shared governance throughout the organization.