October 2023
Shared governance is a model for ensuring those who do the work are included in discussions and decisions that shape the direction of an organization. It also provides opportunities for everyone to be heard.
This is why shared governance is the foundation of the Magnet designation by the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) — which all of our acute care hospitals have achieved! In fact, studies show that Magnet hospitals have improved staff retention and engagement, which can improve patient outcomes, like decreased mortality and fall rates.
The Clinical Informatics and Technology Councils at each Houston Methodist hospital are examples of our shared governance councils. These councils provide insight and ideas on using technology in innovative ways. By gathering more thoughts and perspectives, we’ll overcome any health care challenge!
To ensure the effectiveness of these councils, our nursing informatics team is looking to optimize best practices and share them across the system. For example, some engage a multidisciplinary council of clinicians beyond nursing and a more structured request process. We’re also planning to create a system-level Clinical Informatics and Technology Council with representatives from each campus to encourage sharing ideas and aligning decisions to improve clinical practices.
As Thomas Edison said, “There’s a way to do it better — find it.” If you’re interested in participating in your hospital’s Clinical Informatics and Technology Council, please reach out to your local nurse informaticist (NI) to learn more (click here for NI contact details).
As always, if you have thoughts or comments, you’d like to share, please click the link below.
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