Shared Governance is an innovative organizational framework which affords nurses professional autonomy. It empowers the professional nursing staff and managers to contribute collectively to the decision-making process related to patient care, nursing practice and the work environment.
The Senate
- All staff belong to the Senate.
- It’s similar in structure to the federal government.
- The Senate is the Decision Making Body. Members are elected from units/divisions as decided by their unit shared governance. Leadership (nurse managers, directors) are also members of the Senate.
- The Senate is run by the President of the Senate and is elected by all staff.
- The President Pro-tem takes over in the absence of the President and also becomes President when the current President’s term is over.
- The Cabinets report their work to the Senate and if decisions are required, the Senate votes based on the information from the Cabinet.
- All committees and NPACTs submit work to the Cabinets for review and action.
- NPACTs are Nursing Professional Action Coordinating Teams. They are formed by the Cabinets, Senate or Executive Cabinet if more information is needed. Their role is to investigate/gather information within specific timeframes designated by the Cabinet.
- All decisions/information from the Senate is submitted via an email newsletter to all nursing staff within two days after the Senate has convened.
The Cabinets
- Executive Cabinet: Big picture, budget issues, helps guide the work of the Senate, disseminates Voice requests to Cabinets for work as needed.
- Nursing Quality Practice Cabinet: develops and evaluates nursing practice and patient care outcomes.
- Nursing Ambulatory Cabinet: develops and evaluates issues from the ambulatory clinics.
- Nursing Professionalism Cabinet: develops and evaluates nursing retention, recruitment, autonomy, empowerment, peer relations, professional development.
- Nursing Informatics Cabinet: develops and evaluates needs/changes to the clinical information systems.
- The house-wide cabinets support the units’ ability to contribute to collective decision-making at the unit level, and provide leadership and support for global or house-wide practices.
Questions or Comments Contact our Professional Practice Team
Judy B. McDowell, RN, MSN, CCRN
Caritas Coach
jbmcdowe@wakehealth.edu