Kramer et al. (2008) used mixed methods (i.e. surveys, interviews and observations) to evaluate the structures, processes and outcomes associated with CNP in eight magnet hospitals. Their study included interviews with nursing leadership, nursing staff and other healthcare professionals. The viability or evidence for CNP was based upon nurses’ reports of access to power, particularly formal power shared with leadership; the breadth and depth of nurses’ engagement in shared decision making processes; recognition by nursing and others of the importance of shared decision-making processes; staff and leadership pride in effective outcomes resulting from shared decision making; and action items or deliverables emanating from shared decision making processes.
Our nursing workload project
Workload demands and job stressors take their toll on nurses. Nursing workload management is considered a vital component of healthy work environments (Institute of Medicine 2004).To address nurses’ workload issues using evidence-based strategies, funds were provided for a 3-year project to engage nurses and nurse leaders in shared decision making processes. A steering committee of key stakeholders included representatives from the government, the unions and the provincial chief nursing officers. The project was designed in three phases: during Phase 1, a working group was formed to design the project and put evidence-based structures and processes in place (See Table 1). In Phase 2, nurse-led project teams worked collaboratively with their nurse leaders on workload issues. Each site was given 1 year of funding to address workload issues specific to their work environments. Funding was available to provide .2FTE or the equivalent of one, 8-hour shift/week per team member. We (the authors) served as external project facilitators, with at least two of us attending the majority of site meetings. Each project team had an average of one meeting per month or 12 meetings per project. In addition to monthly team meetings, team members had release time to work on projects related to workload issues within their practice environments. We were available to provide assistance between meetings. Operations leaders were invited by the teams to attend certain portions of each meeting, depending on the agenda and the time needed to discuss workload issues. Other team-operations leader discussions occurred outside the team meetings, and we stayed connected to these discussions through group e-mail communications or phone calls. In Phase 3, evaluations were conducted with staff, nurse leaders and the project teams to determine the impact of the project, and to further identify and refine key structures and processes necessary to yield successful outcomes.
Project sites were recruited through an Expression of Interest letter. Selection criteria were meant to ensure the existence of key structural components from our framework: leadership support at all levels, including support from the chief nursing officer and the chief financial officer; availability of 4–6 staff volunteers to participate in the project team; a designated front-line leader to act as the project lead and team liaison with organizational leadership and the external facilitators (us); and low staff vacancy and turnover rates. Team composition was representative of staff makeup and included Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs), care aides, social workers and mental health counselors. Before and during the project, the selected sites did not have formal, shared decision making structures or processes in place. Most of the sites had regular nursing staff meetings with front-line leaders and limited contact with their operations leaders. Another article (MacPhee et al. 2010) provides more details about the project.