Robert Hess, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a nationally recognized leader in nursing governance and the founder and CEO of the Forum for Shared Governance. He is best known for creating the Index of Professional Nursing Governance (IPNG) and the Index of Professional Governance (IPG), the only validated tools for measuring professional shared governance in healthcare. His work has significantly influenced how healthcare organizations assess and implement shared governance models, contributing to improved organizational outcomes and supporting Magnet designation efforts in hundreds of hospitals worldwide.
Dr. Hess has a diverse educational background, including degrees in comparative religion, nursing, nursing administration, and a doctorate in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also studied organizational theory at the Wharton School. As an educator, researcher, author, and editor, he has published approximately 200 articles and two books, and has mentored more than 500 healthcare professionals in publishing their first works. His contributions have earned him numerous awards, including induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Throughout his career, Dr. Hess has held influential leadership roles, including executive vice president and chief clinical executive at Relias, where he helped build the largest continuing education provider in nursing. His current work focuses on advancing interprofessional shared governance and improving patient and organizational outcomes. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he remains active as a speaker, researcher, blogger, and volunteer with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
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In this episode of the Think Factory Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Bob Hess, founder and CEO of the Forum for Shared Governance, for an insightful discussion about the true meaning of shared governance in healthcare and why it has become one of the most important conversations in organizational leadership today. Dr. Hess explains how shared governance empowers bedside nurses and frontline professionals to have meaningful influence over clinical practice, operational decisions, and the resources that support patient care. Drawing from decades of research and experience, he shares the origins of his groundbreaking Index of Professional Nursing Governance, the first validated instrument designed to measure how authority, decision-making, and professional accountability actually function inside healthcare organizations.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Hess explores how authentic shared governance improves nurse retention, job satisfaction, collaboration, and patient outcomes, while also exposing the dangers of organizations treating governance as a marketing slogan rather than a lived operational reality. He discusses the growing global adoption of his accreditation model, the integration of AI-powered dashboards to analyze governance data in real time, and the future of collaborative leadership across healthcare systems worldwide. The episode also dives into the deeply human side of governance, highlighting the importance of trust, transparency, and leadership buy-in when creating organizational structures that truly empower people. Packed with practical insights for healthcare leaders, executives, and professionals across industries, this episode offers a compelling look at how shared decision-making can transform both workplace culture and organizational performance.
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