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School nurses' perceptions of empowerment and autonomy
Marie C DeSisto1, Thomas Patrick DeSisto
1Waltham Public Schools, Waltham, MA, USA.
Summary
School nurses experience high autonomy and moderate empowerment, with greater access to informal power structures. Understanding workplace dynamics can enhance school nurse effectiveness and job satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Nursing Management
Background:
- Kanter's Theory of Structural Power in Organizations provides a framework for understanding workplace dynamics.
- School nurses operate within complex organizational structures that influence their professional experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore Kanter's Theory of Structural Power in Organizations within the context of school nursing.
- To investigate the relationship between empowerment and autonomy among school nurses.
Main Methods:
- Survey methodology was employed to gather data from school nurses.
- The study assessed nurses' perceptions of empowerment, autonomy, and access to formal and informal power structures.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was found between school nurses' perceived empowerment and autonomy.
- School nurses reported high levels of autonomy and moderate levels of empowerment.
- Nurses indicated greater access to informal power structures compared to formal ones within their organizations.
Conclusions:
- Empowerment and autonomy are linked for school nurses, suggesting that fostering autonomy may enhance empowerment.
- Understanding organizational structures, particularly informal power dynamics, is crucial for improving school nurses' effectiveness and job satisfaction.
- Implications for practice include strategies to increase school nurses' empowerment within their workplaces.