Improving Patient Outcomes Through Shared Governance and Professional Development of Informal Leaders

One of the major issues facing the nursing workforce is how to engage and retain nurses. Nurse leaders need to provide a workplace that is focused on professional development, shared governance and a supportive environment. When leaders support staff and shared governance by utilizing transformational leadership, turnover decreases. The purpose of the project was to improve patient outcomes through leadership of shared governance and providing professional development to the members of the shared governance committee. The project evaluated below benchmarked patient experience scores, increased staff turnover and low employee engagement as a basis for needed change. Implementation of professional development for the members of the shared governance committee, education of staff as to the nature of shared governance and transformational leadership practices combined for optimal impact. Outcomes demonstrated that transformational leadership and shared governance practices can positively impact the patient experience, staff engagement and retention even when faced with high volumes, extended patient wait times and admitted patients boarding in the emergency department. The unit achieved patient experience scores that were the highest in the unit's history, 79% and intent to leave decreased by 25%. Role satisfaction and engagement improved as did staff perception of leadership. Patient outcomes are impacted by staff engagement and transformational leadership practices by formal and informal leaders.