Master's Theses

Department

Nursing

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the relationship between registered nurses’ perceived level of structural empowerment and decisional involvement. Structural empowerment includes access to opportunity, resources, information, and support. Decisional involvement includes the nurses’ perception of being involved in decisions that affect patient care and nursing practice. This study was guided by the theoretical work of Imogene King (1981) and Rosabeth M. Kanter (1993). A convenience sample of acute care nurses from two rural Midwestern state hospitals was used. The Beauchamp Demographic tool was used to obtain information about education, years of experience, area of work, etc. The Conditions for Work Effectiveness - II (Laschinger, Finegan, Shamian, & Wilk, 2001) was used to collect data on opportunity, support, resources, information, formal and informal power, and global empowerment. The Decisional Involvement Scale (Havens & Vasey, 2003) was used to collect data on nurse involvement in decisions and activities related to unit staffing, quality of professional practice, recruitment, unit governance, quality of support, staff practice, and collaboration/liaison activities. Statistical analysis used to answer the research questions include Pearson’s correlation and Kendall’s tau-e. The findings of this investigation moderately support the relationship that a nurse’s environment including resources, information, support, and opportunity influence his/her involvement in decisions that affect nursing practice. Administrators can use the information obtained in the investigation to influence nursing’s input on decisions that affect their practice based on the organization’s resources, information, support, and opportunity for advancement and growth.

Keywords

Nursing

Advisor

Dr. Liane Connelly

Date of Award

Spring 2006

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

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