EMPOWERMENT

 

EMPOWERMENT

Empowerment is the process by which we facilitate the participation of others in decision making and taking action within the environment where there is equitable distribution of power, (Sullivan and Decker, 1988).

Power is the ability to get things done, to mobilize resources, to get and use whatever it is that a person needs for the goals he or she is attempting to meet (Http://www.nursingworld/MainMenuCategories/).

THEORIES OF EMPOWERMENT RELATED TO NURSING

(a) Theory of Structural Empowerment

The theory of structural empowerment states that opportunity and power in organizations are essential to empowerment, and must be available to all employees for maximal organizational effectiveness and success (Http://www.nursingworld/MainMenuCategories/). There are four structural conditions identified as being the key contributors to empowerment. These are:

1.     Having opportunity for advancement or opportunity to be involved in activities beyond one’s job description;

2.     Access to information about all facets of the organization;

3.     Access to support for one’s job responsibilities and decision making;

4.     Access to resources as needed by the employee.

 Empowerment is on a continuum, because the environment will provide relatively more or less empowerment, depending on how many of the four structures are present in the work setting. Employees’ behavior becomes more effective, and organizational output increases and improves when the organization is structured to provide opportunity and power to all employees across all organizational levels.

(b) Theory of Psychological Empowerment

According to Spreitzer 1995, the process of psychological empowerment is a motivational construct which manifests as a set of four cognitions that are shaped by a work environment. The four cognitions are: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact.

1.     Meaning occurs when there is congruence between a nurse’s beliefs, values, and behaviors, and job requirements.

2.      Competence refers to confidence in one’s abilities to perform the job, and is also known as self-efficacy.

3.      Self-determination, similar to autonomy, refers to feelings of control that are exerted over one’s work. Finally,

4.     Impact is seen as a sense of being able to influence important organizational outcomes.

 

STRATEGIES FOR EMPOWERMENT

Build a Powerful Image

•        If nurses view themselves as powerful, others will view them as powerful too.

•        A powerful image signals to others that you are professionally competent, capable of exercising appropriate judgments, influential and powerful.

•        Altitudes and beliefs make important aspects of a powerful image; therefore, believing that power is positive force in nursing is essential. Powerful nurses do not say, “I am just a nurse”.

•        Making commitment to nursing as a career because it is a profession. Professions offer career and not just a series of positions.

•        Valuing continuing education because continuing development of professional skills and knowledge is an empowering experience.

 

EMPOWERMENT IN HEALTH INSTITUTION

Leaders need to empower others and followers must empower their leaders. When nurses empower each other they gain referent power. Women are frequently bitter and envious of other women; they withhold support and openly attack. It is known that both individual nurses and the profession as a whole do not gain their share with power because they allow others to divide them and weaken their base. Nurses can empower other nurses by sharing knowledge, maintaining cohesiveness valuing the profession, and supporting each other. Assisting professional staff in becoming powerful is an important leadership role. This can be done in several ways.

(a)  First the manager should be a role model of an empowered nurse.

(b)  Second, leaders should assist their staffs in building their own personal power base. This can be accomplished by showing subordinates how their personal, knowledge, and referent power can be expanded.

(c)  Third, nurse managers must empower their staff.

In contrast to the leader who empowers others is one who will not teach others and does not want others to see others succeed.

This individual has been called queen bee, and the activities and behaviours used to keep others from power, as the queen bee syndrome which exists in nursing.

The behavior exhibited by nursing queen bees includes identifying with others outside the profession (usually male who hold higher positions in their organization) and a disinterest in improving or changing the profession. The queen bee wants to be the main attraction and desires that subordinates remain powerless.

On the other hand, empowerment occurs when leaders communicate their vision; when employees are given the opportunity to make the most of their talents; and when learning creativity, and exploration are encouraged. Leaders empower others when they delegate assignments to provide learning opportunities and allow employees to share in their satisfaction derived from achievement.

Power is likely to bring more power in an ascending cycle, while powerlessness will only generate more powerlessness. Because the powerful have credibility to support their actions, they have greater capacity to get things accomplished and can enhance their base. As managers gain power they are less cohesive and rules–bound; thus, their peers and subordinates are more cooperative.

 

Key Points In Empowerment

•        As nurses we need to realize that we are working in a changing environment and that is why we need to empower ourselves to harness specific knowledge in Nursing discipline and management of such knowledge.

•        While talking about empowerment, we normally talk about individuals and groups because we work in organizations where vertical and interpersonal relationships influence what happens in the organization.

•        The other aspects of power include changes we need to take in Nursing education, knowledge and specialization e.g. some of the changes may comprise our power base.

•        There is need to have a nurse who is empowered and can use data to make decisions.

•        Data is absolutely important for any nurse to be empowered because without it they cannot engage in any meaningful debate or argument with others.

•        If a nurse has no access to data, he/she will not be able to engage in any meaningful problem solving activities and can become socially and politically isolated.

•        A data bank needs to be developed and maintained by nurses to cover wide range of issues. From patient care point of view, nurses must endure to always have timely, retrievable and accurate information.

•        Nurses need to have access to other data such as; epidemiological information, resource availability, its application and use, maintenance of staff performance or staff performance skills.

•        Nurses need to be educated about their discipline. The reason being that they will have difficulties in seeing themselves empowered and they may be unable to evaluate even those systems they work for.

1.     Explain Supervision

 

Supervision is an act of controlling and guiding staff in their work.

•         It entails being in charge of some work which should be done correctly.

•        It leads to staff development and ensures that work is done effectively, efficiently and correctly.

Supervision means to keep watch over others 

•        Supervision occurs at the lowest level of management

•        The purpose of supervision is to create and maintain an environment in which workers can accomplish their goals effectively

A supervisor is an individual who has been given authority to use independent judgment upon his subordinates

•        He is the source of technical know how and a mediator between the policy making management and other workers in his/ her department

•        He has the right to reward, discipline, transfer, suspend and recommend for promotion

•        Supervisors interact  with their subordinates frequently and they are usually in the best position  to observe changes in their subordinates' behaviour and to assist in identifying and resolving their problems

•        The supervisor should be ready to assume responsibility of providing help where it is needed

•        He works with and through PEOPLE

P –Policy making and forecasting

E- Executing and controlling tasks and subordinates

O – obtaining resources and organizing staff

P – Planning

L- leading

E – Ensuring good communication

 

Principles of Supervision

There are mainly four principles on which supervision is based

1.     Standards

2.     Policy

3.     Operational analysis

4.     Job description

 

1.     Standards

This is the level of quality or excellence that is accepted  by which actual attainments are judged. A good supervisor should appreciate the need to maintain the highest standards  possible. The set standards in an organization are used for evaluating  worker’s performance. Standards provide rules and regulations  which are used to evaluate performance. These rules and regulations when compared to an individual worker’s performance  will reflect the level of standards being maintained by the workers

2.     Use of policy Manuals

Supervision is guided by the policy manuals published by the institution. The supervisor’s guidance should be in accordance with the policy manual used in the department e.g. on the general wards procedure manuals produced by GNC can be used. 

3.     Operational Analysis

The type of supervision given should be according to the type of work being done or according to the environment. For example the type of supervision given on the ward is on the spot and usually corrective measures are taken there and then In the classroom setting supervision is over a period of time and evaluation of performance  is through assignments, tests, and exams.  

4.     Job Description

Supervision will also be judged according to the job description of the subordinate, E.g. the staff nurse on the ward should be guided in providing quality nursing care

Duties and responsibilities of a supervisor

These are divided into two;

•        Duties towards employees

•        Duties towards the organization

Duties towards  employees

•        A supervisor has the responsibility of directing organizational objectives towards employees needs

•        In order to do this some degree of interpersonal relationship is required  between the supervisor and followers

•        Through this relationship the supervisor becomes more aware of the employees’ needs

 

Duties towards the organization

•        The supervisor has the responsibility of directing members  towards accomplishing  the goals of the organization

Code of Ethics for Supervisors

•        Set a high standard by your own example

•        Admit your mistakes and learn from them

•        Seek  situations which benefit everyone

•        Respect the dignity of every individual

•        Try to understand others and make yourself understood by them

•        Emphasize the future rather than past experiences

 

 

2.     Manage ward affairs

It is the sole responsibility of a charge nurse to manage the affairs of the ward, in order to facilitate patients’ affairs as well as coordinating the work force.

Some of the activities that you are expected to  carry out are as follows:

i. Holding ward meeting periodically or whenever necessary.

ii. Participate in disciplining earring staff.

iii. To program staff leave bookings so that the ward is covered with staff  24 hour a day and seven days a week.

iv. Counseling of staff in any way possible and refer where possible.