Enhancing the Professional Work Environment Through Nursing Engagement in an Academic Medical Center

Area of Science:

• Nursing Leadership
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Shared decision-making and professional governance are hallmarks of ANCC Magnet-designated organizations.
• An academic medical center redesigned its leadership model to integrate professional shared governance, aligning frontline practice with organizational strategy.
• The redesign aimed to address evolving healthcare demands and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the systematic development, implementation, and evaluation of transitioning to professional shared governance.
• To engage nurses at all levels, strengthening their voice in decision-making and enhancing professional accountability.
• To align nursing practice, quality, and innovation with organizational priorities.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post survey design was employed over two years to assess nurse engagement.
• Validated engagement measures were administered before (2024) and after (2025) the professional shared governance model implementation.
• Comparative analyses examined changes in overall engagement and specific domains (practice, informatics, recruitment, evidence-based practice).

Main Results:

• Overall nurse engagement scores increased significantly post-implementation.
• Largest gains were noted in technology utilization, recruitment/retention/recognition, and evidence-based practice/research.
• Clinical nurses showed increased engagement across all categories, particularly in high-impact domains.

Conclusions:

• Transitioning to professional shared governance is a complex, iterative process requiring sustained leadership and active nurse participation.
• Continuous evaluation and adaptation are crucial for maintaining meaningful and high-performing structures.
• Professional shared governance, driven by data and collaboration, enhances nursing excellence and organizational outcomes.