choose one of the following issues that may appear in the healthcare environment and develop a plan using the shared governance model to assess, propose a solution, and evaluate the strategy. Be sure to identify who should be involved, and what committees/councils would be important in addressing this issue. Use APA format and cite a minimum of 2 references as you write your essay.
Issue Choices:
Patient satisfaction scores with the timeliness of answering patient call lights in the Med/Surg unit are below the hospital’s average score.
Nurses on the Neurology Unit are complaining about how they are being scheduled for their work shifts. Nurses are concerned about working long stretches of scheduled shifts with only a couple of days off in-between the stretches. They complain that it leaves them little time for personal life
The Shared Governance Framework
Shared governance is a decentralized, democratic management structure where clinical nurses are empowered to participate in decision-making regarding professional practice standards, quality of care, and unit operations (Huston, 2020). The success of this model relies on the involvement of key councils that align unit-level initiatives with organizational goals. For this issue, three councils are essential:
Unit Practice Council (UPC) – Med/Surg: The primary action body, responsible for initial assessment, root cause analysis, and pilot implementation.
Quality and Safety Council (QSC): The review body that provides comparative data, establishes benchmarks, and oversees the long-term evaluation of patient safety and satisfaction metrics.
Coordinating/Executive Council (CC/EC): The strategic body responsible for approving resource allocation, ensuring the solution is integrated with other units, and providing executive support.
Sample Answer
Implementing Shared Governance to Improve Patient Satisfaction with Call Light Response Time
Abstract
The quality of patient care and the efficiency of hospital operations are directly reflected in patient satisfaction scores. This essay outlines a three-phase plan—Assessment, Solution Proposal, and Evaluation—to address below-average patient satisfaction scores regarding call light response times on a Medical/Surgical (Med/Surg) unit. The strategy is grounded in the principles of the shared governance model, ensuring that front-line nursing staff drive the necessary change. This approach emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and utilizes unit- and hospital-level councils to implement a sustainable, patient-centered solution.