Paper
Monday, November 5, 2007
388
Clinical Teacher and Nursing Student Empowerment in Acute Care Practice Environments
Yolanda B. Babenko-Mould, RN1, Carroll L. Iwasiw, RN, BN, MScN, EdD1, Mary-Anne Andrusyszyn, RN, BScN, MScN, EdD1, Heather K. S. Laschinger, RN, PhD2, and Wayne Weston, MD, CCFP, FCFP3. (1) Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, (2) School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, (3) Director of Undergraduate Education, Department of Family Medicine, Consultant to Dean on Faculty Development, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| Learning Objective #1: increase understanding of Kanter's theory of empowerment, Conger and Kanungo's empowerment model, and Bandura's self-efficacy theory from a nursing education context in acute care practice. |
| Learning Objective #2: gain insights from emerging findings on clinical teacher and nursing student empowerment. |
Background: In this time of nursing shortages and increased patient acuity, it has never been more vital for nursing students to develop a sense of empowerment during their education process, be prepared to practice with confidence (self-efficacy), and provide competent quality health care to patients. Clinical teachers are key stakeholders in students’ empowerment. They have the ability to alter conditions within the clinical practice setting to enhance student confidence for practice. Theoretical Frameworks: According to Kanter, individuals are empowered in their work environment when they have access to support, resources, information, and opportunity for growth. Conger and Kanungo propose that empowerment is a motivational construct, defined as enabling. Their view of empowerment is based on Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, and implies motivating through enhancing personal efficacy. Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to present key initial findings from a research study using a cross-sectional survey design, which implemented an integrated theoretical perspective (Kanter, Conger and Kanungo, and Bandura) to examine clinical teachers’ (n=50) and students’ (n=300) empowerment, teachers' use of and students' perceptions of empowering teaching behaviours, students’ perceptions of nurses’ practice behaviours, and students’ confidence for practice within acute care practice settings. No studies to date have examined how organizational power and structure issues combine with a motivational process of empowerment to influence clinical teachers’ and students’ perceptions of empowerment. Study findings have implications for both academic and practice contexts related to healthy work environments, and recruitment and retentions issues.