Implementing a shared governance model in the perioperative setting

This article examines the existing literature about shared governance, particularly as it applies to the perioperative setting, and chronicles the process of implementing a shared governance model in one hospital's surgical services department. The goal of the implementation was to improve the department's efficiency and morale by transferring decision-making responsibilities to the staff level. Progress in the first 18 months of the project has been challenging, but results have been encouraging.