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Seeking Connectivity in Nurses' Work Environments: Advancing Nurse Empowerment Theory
1College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Summary
Nurse managers critically influence staff nurses' empowerment by sharing power. This study reveals that collaboration between nurse managers and staff nurses is essential for fostering a positive work environment and ensuring quality patient care.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Science
- Organizational Behavior
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Empowerment is crucial for staff nurses, yet understanding the dynamics of power in the nurse-manager relationship remains limited.
- The hospital work environment presents challenges that impact nurse outcomes, necessitating a deeper theoretical understanding of power.
- Nurse empowerment theory requires advancement to address the complexities of power exchange in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how staff nurses and their managers exercise power within a hospital.
- To identify factors that foster or constrain staff nurses' empowerment.
- To extend the existing theory on nurse empowerment.
Main Methods:
- Grounded theory methodology was employed.
- Data collection involved observation and interviews with 26 staff nurses across 3 units in a tertiary hospital.
- The study focused on how nurse managers affected staff nurses' ability to perform their work.
Main Results:
- The basic social process identified was 'seeking connectivity'.
- Nurse managers play a critical role in shaping the work environment for staff nurses.
- Staff nurses require managers to share power to provide safe, quality patient care.
Conclusions:
- Managerial power-sharing is vital for staff nurse empowerment.
- Effective nurse-manager relationships are fundamental to a supportive work environment.
- Advancing nurse empowerment theory necessitates understanding the collaborative exercise of power.