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Hospital nurses' lived experience of power
Carol A Fackler1, Angelina N Chambers, Meg Bourbonniere
1Kappa Zeta-At-Large, Assistant Professor, University of Southern Maine School of Nursing, Portland, ME, USA.
Summary
Hospital nurses gain power through knowledge, experience, and self-confidence, using it to advocate for patients and improve care. Their voices are crucial in healthcare discussions.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Phenomenology
- Healthcare Studies
Background:
- Understanding the lived experience of power is crucial for hospital nurses.
- Power dynamics significantly influence patient care and nurse satisfaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experience of power among hospital clinical nurses.
- To understand how nurses embody and utilize power in their practice.
Main Methods:
- Hermeneutic phenomenology informed by Merleau-Ponty's philosophy.
- Semistructured interviews with 14 hospital nurses from intensive care units and medical floors.
- Hermeneutic analytic approach with reflexive bracketing.
Main Results:
- Three relational themes of power emerged: knowing and advocating for patients, building beneficial patient relationships, and identifying one's powerful self.
- Nurses perceive power developing through knowledge, experience, and self-confidence, enhanced by mentorship.
Conclusions:
- Hospital nurses develop and consciously use power to build relationships and advocate for patients, improving care.
- Nurses' voices must be included in organizational discourse for improved healthcare delivery.
- Further research into nurses' sociopolitical knowing is needed for effective participation in healthcare debates.
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