Nurses' Perspectives of Their Impact While Serving on Boards

Abstract

The study objective was to identify nurses' perceptions of their impact while serving on boards. BACKGROUND: Nurse leaders serving as voting board members are key experts for board effectiveness and may be associated with stronger performing organizations. Extant research indicates that nurse leaders are qualified for board service; however, no research explores the impact of nurses on boards. METHODS: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study by interviewing 20 nurses serving on boards. Hermeneutic analysis of the data resulted in 1 overarching pattern and 7 traversing themes. RESULTS: Nurses who serve on boards reported leveraging expert knowledge of healthcare and caring wisdom to influence strategic thinking to meet stakeholder needs. CONCLUSION: Nurses promote effective board governance by ensuring that the perspectives and needs of all stakeholders are represented in board processes. We recommend health-related organization executives and board leaders appoint nurses as voting members of their governing boards.

A scoping review about nurses on boards: 2016−2022

“…For example, a podcast with one nurse board leader expert makes apparent the links between board service experiences, health policy, social determinants of health, and health equity, noting nurses' capacity to clearly connect these concepts in boardroom discussions and decision‐making. The conceptual links shared by the nurse board leader expert are consistent with the experiences and perspectives of nurse board leaders in the studies in this scoping review 16,19,20,23 . McBride 23 shared the personal experience of leading a health system board, ensuring quality of care, and compliance with regulations and policies based on her deep professional knowledge and understanding of consumer needs, healthcare delivery, and organizations.…”

“…Two studies were published in 2021 17,18 . One study was published in each of the remaining years (2016, 26 2018, 21 2019, 20 2020, 19 2022 16 ). The sample characteristics are detailed in Table 2.…”

“…The rationale for using results, discussion points, and recommendations for this part of the analysis was to describe what the studies revealed (results), the authors' interpretation of the meaning of the results (discussion), and implications for practice and further research exploration (recommendations). Studies that reported results or discussion points about nurses' broad diversity, expertise, or independence including preparation for board service were categorized in the CMNOB concept of board composition 16–26 ( n = 11). Studies that reported results or discussed NOB' role and influence on strategic direction, resources, control, and monitoring were categorized in the CMNOB concept of board effectiveness 16,18,20,21,23,26 ( n = 6).…”

“…Studies that reported results or discussion points about nurses' broad diversity, expertise, or independence including preparation for board service were categorized in the CMNOB concept of board composition 16–26 ( n = 11). Studies that reported results or discussed NOB' role and influence on strategic direction, resources, control, and monitoring were categorized in the CMNOB concept of board effectiveness 16,18,20,21,23,26 ( n = 6). Studies that reported results or discussed NOB' influence about clinical quality and safety, financial performance, patient experience, or community service were categorized within the CMNOB concept of organizational performance 17,18,21,23,26 ( n = 5).…”

“…Studies that reported results or discussed NOB' influence about clinical quality and safety, financial performance, patient experience, or community service were categorized within the CMNOB concept of organizational performance 17,18,21,23,26 ( n = 5). Recommendations from the studies were categorized as follows: board composition 16–19,22,23,25,26 ( n = 8), board effectiveness 20,21,24 ( n = 3), and organizational performance 16,21 ( n = 2). Note that several studies were categorized within more than one CMNOB concept‐based on multiple results, discussion points, and recommendations.…”