title: Perceptions, knowledge, and commitment of clinical staff to shared governance.
abstract: The perceptions, knowledge, and commitment of clinical staff to shared governance were explored in a nonexperimental, survey research design, wherein preimplementation responses were compared to postimplementation responses. Using a nonprobability sampling method, all clinical staff members had the opportunity to respond to the Shared Governance Survey at the preimplementation and the 1-year postimplementation period. Thirty-eight clinical areas, including inpatient and outpatient areas, were included in the study. Both surveys contained a short demographic section and the Shared Governance Survey adapted from Minors et al. Results showed a decrease in perception and knowledge of shared governance between the 2 survey periods. This pattern was attributed to the idealism of shared governance in the preimplementation period compared to the reality of implementing shared governance. Interestingly, commitment to shared governance increased during this same time. When the sample was divided into groups, participants in shared governance had significantly higher scores on perception and knowledge of shared governance than did nonparticipants. Overall, participants and nonparticipants were committed to shared governance. The results of the survey indicated that clinical staff members recognized shared governance as a process, not a project, and that it takes time to share responsibility, accountability, and authority for nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA, USA. karen.frith@gcsu.edu
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frith
authors.forename: Meryl
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D017144:Focus Groups; D006040:Goals; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009042:Motivation; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D011209:Power, Psychological; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires