Page 3 - Secrets of Effective Nurse Leaders-01-11-2018a

EMPOWERMENT

Surveys show that far too many nurses feel powerless in their jobs: their
perception is that they are unable to act autonomously or even have a
voice in the policies that affect them. Some of it is rooted in the historical
view of nursing as “women’s work” within a patriarchal medical hierarchy.
But recent standards of nursing education are a contributing factor as well
– nurses often receive no training in leadership skills, which are known to
foster self-confidence.

The problem with powerlessness within the nursing profession is
clear: it creates job dissatisfaction, stress, and burnout. It can lead to
ineffective nursing management that compromises patient safety. And
it’s incompatible with today’s increasing emphasis on multi-disciplinary
care, where collaboration is key. In theory, nurses who have advanced
to management positions have acquired, either through education or
experience, a sense of personal empowerment. Yet, research suggests we
might still have a long way to go. A 2011 study found that nurses in middle
management in an acute care hospital setting did not feel fully empowered.
A more recent study, published in 2014 in the Journal of Nursing
Administration, found only moderate levels of empowerment among 140
clinical nurse managers at one large healthcare system in the northeast.
Clearly, we need nurse leaders who not only feel empowered themselves
but have the skills to empower the nurses they supervise. Empowered
nurses demonstrate autonomy and independent decision making
skills. They can perform well without constant feedback. They feel like
stakeholders in the whole care delivery system. Nurses are more likely
to develop a sense of empowerment when they work at an organization
that values structural empowerment – for example, by including nursing
representatives in the process of creating policies. This gives nurses some
influence in areas that have traditionally been governed by executive-level
hospital administrators, and it is known to help promote the highest level of
nursing excellence.

www.americansentinel.edu

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