The process of joint decision-making is characterized by different features, including the distribution of roles in a particular team. As a target committee to analyze the interaction of participants, the meeting in the nursing community to help people with disabilities will be considered. The representatives of different medical institutions took part in this event, and different opinions were expressed regarding the proposed topics. Collaborative decision-making in the community can be characterized as the process where the right to vote of all members is respected, and the principle of shared governance is promoted.
Observance of the Interaction among Community Members
During the meeting, several relevant topics were discussed. All of them were related to the problems of the target population, namely people with disabilities. The organizers of the event, representing different medical institutions, announced to the participants about these topics and approved them through voting. Further, those in attendance were invited to make reports on the work done. While speaking, they also expressed their positions.
During the observation, no attempts were made to interrupt one another or to prove personal opinions furiously. The ideas and thoughts of all comers were heard, and a joint decision was made to determine the most urgent tasks that should be performed first. It was also decided by voting. Evers, Jonoski, Almoradie, and Lange (2016) argue that such an approach to the organization of discussions makes it possible to take into account the opinions of all the members and follow the principles of corporate ethics. Therefore, the meeting of the community can be described as successful and fruitful.
Community’s Role and Participants’ Functions
The main role of the community is to help people with disabilities and those who experience difficulties in meeting their daily needs. However, nurses try not to show negative emotions, which, according to Fan and Zietsma (2017), is an essential mechanism at the stage of the formation of shared governance. The members of the association have a charitable fund where the money is collected to help the needy and also to organize permanent assistance to the disabled. In the team, there are those responsible for working with patients, promoting the interests of the community among stakeholders, and for records keeping. There is no clear and unconditional leader or director, which indicates an equal attitude of colleagues to one another and the distribution of duties by the preferences of each community member.
Decision Process as the Form of Shared Governance
The form of shared governance is a characteristic feature of the community. The decision-making process differs by the equality of each participant, and all the ideas are discussed as potentially possible ways of solving particular issues. As Clavelle, O’Grady, Weston, and Verran (2016) remark, this type of governance can be described as successful, and one of the main advantages, according to the authors, is an effective decision-making process. Therefore, there are no conflicts in the community under consideration, and all the issues are discussed peacefully and without any claims to one another.
Conclusion
The right of each member of the community under consideration to express personal opinions and participate in solving problems freely is proof of a successfully chosen strategy. Shared governance is typical for this group of volunteers, and it allows conducting active work and at the same time distribute responsibilities by the personal wishes of the participants. The role of each community member is taken into account, and the contribution of all the group representatives to the help of people with disabilities is significant.
References
Clavelle, J. T., O’Grady, T. P., Weston, M. J., & Verran, J. A. (2016). Evolution of structural empowerment: Moving from shared to professional governance. Journal of Nursing Administration, 46(6), 308-312.
Evers, M., Jonoski, A., Almoradie, A., & Lange, L. (2016). Collaborative decision making in sustainable flood risk management: A socio-technical approach and tools for participatory governance. Environmental Science & Policy, 55, 335-344.
Fan, G. H., & Zietsma, C. (2017). Constructing a shared governance logic: The role of emotions in enabling dually embedded agency. Academy of Management Journal, 60(6), 2321-2351.