Amplifying nursing's voice through a staff-management partnership

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Nursing shortages are a persistent problem.
• Existing recommendations often lack specific strategies for enhancing nurse autonomy.
• Limited control and autonomy contribute to nurse dissatisfaction and turnover.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a mechanism for increasing nurse autonomy and control in hospital settings.
• To evaluate the impact of a joint decision-making forum on nurse-management relationships.
• To explore how enhanced autonomy can strengthen advocacy for patients and nurses.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of the Nurse Practices Committee (NPC) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
• Joint decision-making by staff nurses and nurse executives regarding resource allocation.
• Qualitative assessment of committee members' experiences and perceptions.

Main Results:

• The NPC fostered mutual understanding, respect, and trust between nurses and management.
• Collaboration in resource allocation strengthened relationships within the nursing department.
• Participants reported a more unified and powerful voice in advocating for patient and nurse needs.

Conclusions:

• Joint decision-making committees can be an effective mechanism to increase nurse autonomy.
• Improved nurse autonomy and stronger relationships can enhance advocacy efforts.
• This model offers a practical approach to address nursing workforce challenges by empowering nurses.