Multidisciplinary shared governance: the next step

There is a new paradigm for organizations and the way people work within them. It is not possible to manage and structure these organizations in the same way as older industrial organizational designs. More empowerment and the need to build around the knowledge of the worker calls for a different approach to constructing and managing the health care organization. Shared governance has been an innovative approach for building a professional and empowered nursing organization within any health care system. As health care becomes more integrated, it becomes necessary to extend the parameters of shared governance for the next stage of organizational development. Whole-systems shared governance is an approach to implementing the principles of partnership, equity, accountability, and ownership, thus engaging and empowering the whole health care system.