Governance education for nurses: Preparing nurses for the future.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Leadership

Background:

• Complex healthcare environments necessitate diverse board leadership with a deep understanding of health needs and outcomes.
• Few nurses serve on organizational boards, and many feel unprepared for governance roles.
• Nurses possess critical insights into healthcare complexities but lack formal governance training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the integration of governance competencies into nursing education.
• To prepare nurses for leadership roles in healthcare governance.
• To enhance nurses' ability to influence health policy and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Leveraging the American Hospital Association Governance Core Competencies (2009).
• Utilizing the Massachusetts Nurse of the Future Core Competencies©-RN (2016).
• Proposing a strategy for incorporating governance into nursing curricula at all educational levels.

Main Results:

• Identified a gap in nursing preparedness for board governance roles.
• Highlighted the necessity of governance education for nursing leadership.
• Proposed a framework for curriculum integration.

Conclusions:

• Governance education is essential for the "nurse of the future" to drive healthcare transformation.
• Integrating governance competencies empowers nurses to influence policy and improve health outcomes.
• Addressing this educational need is crucial for increasing nurse representation on governing boards.