Ambiguous meanings of projects as facilitators of sensegiving

To describe mid-level nurse managers' experiences of sensegiving in the context of hospital projects.

Sensegiving is about shaping and affecting how employees see themselves, their work and issues related to their work. It has been little studied in the context of hospital projects from mid-level nurse managers' point of view.

Mid-level nurse managers (n = 10) were interviewed about their experiences of projects from the viewpoint of sensegiving during change processes. Data was analysed using discourse analysis.

Three repertoires were constructed from the data: the repertoires of regeneration, control and humane.

Projects were considered as appropriate ways for sensegiving in hospitals from the viewpoint of mid-level nurse managers. In order to use projects effectively in hospitals as means for change management mid-level nurse managers ought to enhance their role as interpreters during the change process (i.e. strengthen their visioning, talk and dialogue skills).

Training on the nature of change as a social and interactive process could deepen mid-level nurse managers' understanding of the change process in the context of hospital projects.