Staff governance. The experience of one nursing unit

Professionalization is a common theme in nursing. As this process progresses, the utility of more traditional methods and procedures will continue to come under scrutiny. The authors describe the evolution of a system of staff governance on one nursing unit in a large urban medical center. Factors contributing to the decision to abolish line positions on the unit are discussed, as are the dilemmas the staff faced in undertaking management of the unit.