Shared Governance in the Context of Nurses’ Professional Practice: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND: Shared governance is recognized as an organizational strategy that strengthens nurses' participation in decision-making, supports professional autonomy, and sustains nursing practice in complex care settings. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to identify, describe, and synthesize the available evidence on shared governance in the context of nurses' professional practice. METHODS: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses from database inception to January 31, 2026. RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies published between 1994 and 2025 were included. Five categories were identified: (1) organizational structure and governance processes; (2) leadership, empowerment, and accountability; (3) organizational culture, communication, and collaboration; (4) education, training, and competency development; and (5) evaluation, outcomes, and the impact of shared governance. CONCLUSIONS: Shared governance strengthens nurses' professional practice when participatory structures, facilitative leadership, supportive culture, competency development, and evaluation align. This review shows interactions and highlights uneven implementation across settings.