Nursing governance: an integrative review of the literature

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify and characterize types of nursing governance, with emphasis on its impact on nursing practice and health care. This integrative review covered reports published from 2007 to 2011 and indexed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, LILACS, and the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). Keywords used were governance and nursing , which retrieved 25 manuscripts. Most studies were from the United States and the United Kingdom. We identified three models of governance: shared governance, clinical governance, and public governance. The effects of the models identified included quality care improvement, more autonomy for nursing professionals, improved connections among health services, and greater satisfaction among nursing professionals. Additional studies on nursing governance in Latin America are needed to evaluate its applicability in different contexts.