title: Shared governance: a way to improve the care in an inpatient rehabilitation facility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rehabilitation care is specialized and individualized requiring effective and efficient communication to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine how effective implementation of shared governance could improve care delivery, promote patient-centered care, and improve patient outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The shared governance approach included all members of the rehabilitation team (i.e., physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, registered nurse and nurse aide) and was implemented over 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The major end products of this shared governance effort were improved staff communication, problem solving, patient outcomes, and staff satisfaction on our stroke and brain injury unit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When effectively implemented and sustained, shared governance between all rehabilitation team stakeholders can increase the effectiveness of communication along with more positive patient and staff outcomes.
authors.affiliation: The Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Nalani
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunishige
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Tracie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanzawa
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebesu
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nohara
authors.forename: Eliseo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: SanAgustin
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borg
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Rehabilitation; brain injury; quality improvement