Professional practice and role diversity: a team concept for patient transportation systems

Critical care nurses providing interhospital transportation services face new challenges in structuring a professional practice model in a diverse role environment. Nurses are now finding themselves working together with a variety of health care professionals with different educational and experience levels. This article discusses the program development and shared governance development of one such interhospital transportation team. Shared governance in a unique environment such as this was achieved using a functional model (self-directed work teams) and several outcome-focused components that are described in detail. The difficulties encountered with the introduction of a governance structure are also shared as too are the resolutions. With the changing health care system and the evolving changes in critical care nursing roles, innovation is fundamental to patient care practices. Shared governance does have a place in nurse/nonnurse amalgamations.