A Voice in Nursing

Shared governance empowers UMHC nurses to set heir own standard

University of Mississippi Health Care nurses are making their voices heard at the ballot box.

As the Shared Governance Model began its second year, staff nurses at the Medical Center – as well as personnel who work closely with nurses – went to the polls June 16-17 to vote for nursing representatives who will serve on policy-making councils and subcouncils.

The election is part of a comprehensive effort to change the culture of nursing at UMMC.

Shared governance is a concept designed to establish structural empowerment, said Janet Harris, UMHC chief nursing executive officer. She said it’s an organizational system that gives clinical nurses a voice in setting nursing practices and standards.

“It’s all about the people who do the work deciding the best way to do it, giving them the freedom and opportunity to make decisions,” said Harris.

The project began last year with an initial election resulting in the selection of 118 staff nurses to serve as representatives on the councils. The councils meet regularly to exchange ideas and concerns.

Representatives serve two-year terms. This summer’s election was necessary to fill new positions created in the past year.

Harris said the shared governance concept is becoming more common nationwide as more hospitals begin to seek magnet status. Since its creation in 1994, 300 hospitals in the U.S. have attained magnet designation, a program developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to recognize health-care organizations that foster nursing excellence. So far, no Mississippi hospital has achieved magnet status.

“Magnet is the gold standard,” said Tina Higgins, manager of the Office of Nursing Excellence. “We want to be the first in Mississippi.”

The Office of Nursing Excellence, with a small staff devoted to improving nursing at UMMC, organized the election.

One of the requirements for magnet recognition is to demonstrate a culture of empowerment. The Shared Governance Model serves that purpose and fits into a bigger movement.

It’s a component of the overall plan used to assess the Medical Center’s progress toward magnet status, a plan referred to as the Magnet Model. The other components are transformational leadership, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge and innovation, and empirical outcomes.

A year into the effort, Harris said the governance structure is functioning extremely well. Frontline staff members have been placed in leadership roles within the structure. Council members have made recommendations on policy changes.

The Frontline Forum, a regular meeting where staff nurses are invited to discuss issues with Harris and Susan Pastor, chief nursing officer in the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, has resulted in the replacement of blood pressure machines with more modern, user-friendly equipment.

“We’re really beginning to see changes emerge,” Harris said.

Higgins agrees that interest and involvement among staff nurses has been very positive.

“They love it. THEY’ve come forth with so many good ideas we can’t get them done fast enough,” she said.

Harris points to a correlation between the push for magnet status and a spike in nurse recruitment. In June 2007, she said, the Nurse Recruitment and Retention staff processed 95 applications for employment. In June of 2009, they processed 348.

“It speaks to the hard work that our management has done and the overall support of this project,” said Harris.

Higgins said UMHC leadership hopes to apply for magnet status in the latter part of 2010, but she emphasizes that the process of improvement is every bit as important as attaining the recognition. Harris agrees.

“Whether or not we ever achieve magnet status, the journey is about changing the culture and involving the frontline staff,” Harris said. “That, to me, is the prize.”

-Matt Westerfield

2009-07-13 00:00:00 18948