The ELEVATE Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The ELEVATE study evaluated whether an educational workshop would improve the perceptions of shared decision-making of nurses in an organization as demonstrated by an increase in Index of Professional Nursing Governance (IPNG) score. BACKGROUND Available literature insufficiently links educational interventions to improvements in shared professional governance. METHODS Six hundred ninety-one participants' IPNG scores were analyzed before and after an educational workshop was administered to formal administrative leaders and registered nurse (RN) RN council leaders every 6 months during a 2-year research study. RESULTS Index of Professional Nursing Governance scores were higher for RNs participating in nursing councils than scores for those who did not. The organization's IPNG scores remained stable from 2019 to 2021. Secondary analysis may suggest that council members were more resilient during crisis. CONCLUSIONS Further investigation is needed researching the relationship between professional governance education and RNs' perception of shared decision making.