A case for measuring governance.

Shared governance is promoted as a management innovation designed to improve outcomes of quality patient care, nurse job satisfaction, productivity, and nurse retention. Reported studies have not measured the degree of governance. The Index of Profession Nurse Governance is a valid, reliable tool that can be used to measure the degree of governance, to assess the status and progress of implementation of governance, and in studies relating shared governance to outcomes. An example of the use of the Index of Profession Nurse Governance in one hospital to assess the degree of shared governance over time is described.