Structural empowerment of nurses in the hospital setting

a descriptive, analytical, and cross-sectional study, carried out with 237 nurses, who developed care and management activities. Data collection took place through a self-administered questionnaire with questions on the personal and professional characterization and the Work Effectiveness Conditions Questionnaire II. Data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:

it was identified that nurses have a moderate level of structural empowerment (18.06±SD 0.9). The greatest value was obtained in the Opportunity dimension (4.08±SD 0.8), followed by the Resources (3.17±SD 0.8) and Informal power (3,04±SD 0.9) dimensions; while the scores of Support (2.67±SD 1.0), Formal power (2.59±SD 0.9), and Information (2.51±SD 0.9) were lower.

Conclusion:

the level of structural empowerment of the nurses was moderate, which means partial access to opportunities, resources, support, and information of the institution.

Descriptors:
Health Facility Environment; Hospital Administration; Nursing; Efficiency; Organization and Administration; Power

Variables	N	%	Mean ± SD^* * SD = Standard deviation
Age (years old)			38 ± 8.57
Gender (n=236)
Female	209	88.6
Male	27	11.4
Marital status (n=234)
Has a partner	187	78.9
No partner	47	19.8
Training (n=237)
Graduation	24	10.1
Specialization	139	58.6
Master’s degree	62	26.2
PhD	9	3.8
Did not answer	3	1.3
Employment contract (n=234)
CLT	140	59.1
RJU	94	39.7
Other employment contract (n=237)
No	215	90.7
Yes	22	9.3
Work shift (n=237)
Night	72	30.4
Afternoon	59	24.9
Morning	57	24.1
Mixed (morning, afternoon, and night)	49	20.7
Professional experience (years)	237		13 ± 8.0
Experience in the hospital (years)	236		8 ± 7.9
Experience in the sector (years)	236		4.9 ± 5.3
Number of patients per work shift	212		19.9 ± 16.9
Weekly workload (hours)	224		36 ± 7.6

Domains/Items	Mean	SD^* * SD = Standard deviation
Opportunity	4.08	0.8
Work is challenging	4.05	1.0
Opportunity to gain new skills and knowledge	3.95	0.9
Tasks that require all my skills and knowledge	4.23	0.9
Information	2.51	0.9
About the current condition of the hospital	2.81	1.0
About the values of the hospital administration	2.35	1.1
The objectives of hospital administration	2.37	1.1
Support	2.67	1.0
Specific comments on what you do well	2.54	1.2
Specific comments on what you could improve	2.60	1.1
Useful tips or troubleshooting advice	2.87	1.1
Resources	3.17	0.8
Time available to carry out bureaucratic work	3.04	0.9
Time available to fulfill job requirements	3.40	0.8
Obtaining temporary assistance when needed	3.07	1.1
Formal Power	2.59	0.9
The rewards for innovation at work are:	2.13	1.1
The flexibility in my work is:	3.09	1.0
The visibility of my work activities within the institution is:	2.53	1.1
Informal Power	3.04	0.9
Participating with physicians in the patient care	3.13	1.1
Being sought after by your peers to help solve problems	3.68	1.0
Being approached by administrators to help with problems	2.28	1.2
Seeking out ideas from professionals other than physicians, e.g., Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dieticians.	3,07	1,2
TOTAL	18.06	0.9

Domains/Sectors		Mean	Minimum	Maximum	SD^* * SD = Standard deviation;
Opportunity p=0.0025^† † Kruskall-Wallis Test (5% significance level : p<0.05).	Ambulatory	4.14	3.67	5.00	0.5
	Management Activities	4.33	3.00	5.00	0.7
	Surgical and Obstetric	4.15	2.33	5.00	0.7
	Hematology-Oncology	4.12	2.00	5.00	0.9
	Emergency Room	4.54	2.67	5.00	0.6
	Psychiatry	4.46	4.00	5.00	0.3
	Support Services	3.72	2.00	4.67	0.9
	Hospitalization Units	4.03	1.67	5.00	0.9
	Intensive Care Units	3.85	2.33	5.00	0.8
Information p=0.3244^† † Kruskall-Wallis Test (5% significance level : p<0.05).	Ambulatory	2.04	1.00	4.00	0.9
	Management Activities	2.89	1.00	4.33	1.1
	Surgical and Obstetric	2.71	1.00	5.00	0.9
	Hematology-Oncology	2.65	1.00	4.33	0.9
	Emergency Room	2.54	1.00	5.00	1.0
	Psychiatry	3.33	1.33	5.00	1.1
	Support Services	2.39	1.00	3.33	0.6
	Hospitalization Units	2.49	1.00	4.67	0.9
	Intensive Care Units	2.22	1.00	5.00	0.9
Support p=0.2082^† † Kruskall-Wallis Test (5% significance level : p<0.05).	Ambulatory	2.46	2.00	3.33	0.5
	Management Activities	3.24	1.67	5.00	1.0
	Surgical and Obstetric	2.62	1.00	4.33	1.0
	Hematology-Oncology	3.13	1.33	5.00	0.9
	Emergency Room	2.58	1.00	5.00	1.1
	Psychiatry	3.50	2.00	4.00	0.7
	Support Services	2.50	1.33	4.33	0.8
	Hospitalization Units	2.46	1.00	4.67	0.9
	Intensive Care Units	2.46	1.00	5.00	0.9
Resources p=0.0743^† † Kruskall-Wallis Test (5% significance level : p<0.05).	Ambulatory	2.75	1.67	3.33	0.5
	Management Activities	3.60	2.00	5.00	0.8
	Surgical and Obstetric	3.00	2.00	5.00	0.6
	Hematology-Oncology	3.64	2.00	4.67	0.6
	Emergency Room	2.82	1.00	4.67	0.8
	Psychiatry	3.54	2.33	5.00	0.8
	Support Services	3.06	1.67	4.67	0.8
	Hospitalization Units	2.95	1.67	4.67	0.7
	Intensive Care Units	3.34	1.33	5.00	0.8
Formal Power p=0.090^† † Kruskall-Wallis Test (5% significance level : p<0.05).	Ambulatory	3.17	4.00	2.67	0.4
	Management Activities	2.93	5.00	1.00	1.1
	Surgical and Obstetric	2.48	4.67	1.00	1.0
	Hematology-Oncology	2.94	4.33	1.00	0.8
	Emergency Room	2.56	4.67	1.00	1.0
	Psychiatry	3.21	4.00	2.33	0.6
	Support Services	2.61	4.00	1.33	0.8
	Hospitalization Units	2.40	4.33	1.00	0.8
	Intensive Care Units	2.36	5.00	1.00	0.9
Informal Power p=0.2327^† † Kruskall-Wallis Test (5% significance level : p<0.05).	Ambulatory	3.19	3.67	2.00	0.5
	Management Activities	3.36	5.00	1.33	1.1
	Surgical and Obstetric	3.24	5.00	1.00	0.9
	Hematology-Oncology	3.15	5.00	1.33	0.8
	Emergency Room	3.12	4.67	1.33	0.9
	Psychiatry	3.75	5.00	3.00	0.7
	Support Services	3.14	4.67	1.67	1.0
	Hospitalization Units	2.85	4.67	1.00	0.9
	Intensive Care Units	2.82	5.00	1.33	0.9

Sectors	Sum of the means	Levels of empowerment
Ambulatory	17.7	Moderate Level
Management Activities	20.3	Moderate Level
Surgical and Obstetric	18.2	Moderate Level
Hematology-Oncology	19.6	Moderate Level
Emergency Room	18.1	Moderate Level
Psychiatry	21.7	Moderate Level
Support Services	17.4	Moderate Level
Hospitalization Units	17.1	Moderate Level
Intensive Care Units	17.0	Moderate Level

Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-902 Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 (16) 3315-3451 / 3315-4407 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rlae@eerp.usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author: Lenize Nunes Moura. E-mail: lenize.nunes@hotmail.com

Brasil

Brasil

Structural empowerment of nurses in the hospital setting* * Paper extracted from master’s thesis “Environment of practice and nurses’ empowerment of a university hospital”, presented to Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.

Objective:

Method:

Results:

Conclusion:

Structural empowerment of nurses in the hospital setting^* * Paper extracted from master’s thesis “Environment of practice and nurses’ empowerment of a university hospital”, presented to Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.