The current nursing shortage in the US and Canada has sparked new and renewed interest in shared governance in health care administrators who are eager to enhance nurse retention in their organizations. The global shortage is bolstering the popularity of shared governance in other countries where it has emerged only during the last few years. For example, the United Kingdom (UK) has established its own tradition of shared governance (Doherty & Hope, 2000; Gavin, Ash, Wakefield, & Roe, 1999; Mitchell, Brooks, & Pugh, 1999; O’May & Buchan, 1999). However, even more popular in the UK is the concept of clinical governance, a framework that focuses clinicians on improving quality and safeguarding standards in patient care (Royal College of Nursing, 1998). Information on clinical governance can be found at www.data.rcn.org.uk/services/promote/quality/guidance_for_nurses.pdf [PDF file] and a bibliography is posted by the King’s Fund Library at www.kingsfund.org.uk/pdf/clingovnur.pdf [PDF file]. Other English-speaking nations, such as Australia, as well as countries such as Taiwan, have also joined the US in adopting shared governance models in their health care organizations.

Shared governance may be new to many hospitals while at other hospitals it has had a significant impact for many years. Just ask Linda Rusch (NRLRUSCH@aol.com), the chief nurse executive at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, NJ, where, despite changes in leadership, a strong model has been in place since 1990. She just received the results of a regular survey of nurses about the best practices at Hunterdon. What was the number one thing that made a difference in their health system? Shared governance, naturally.

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