| Learning Objective #1: Examine the components of empowerment applicable to nurses in professional practice | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Identify methodological and interpersonal challenges of conducting cross-national research |
Empowerment is a motivational construct reflected in synergistic and reciprocal work relationships which impact performance outcomes. The absence of empowerment has been offered as one explanation for the growing worldwide shortage of nurses; yet, there are few empirical studies of empowerment among nurses. Only one cross-national study was found comparing empowerment among U.S. and Norweign nurses. This presentation reports a pilot study of empowerment among a convenience sample of Latina nurses in Indiana, Mexico, and New York. Attention is given to the process of translating and validating the English language research instrument into Mexican Spanish, obtaining a convenience sample of 25 subjects at each research site, and interpreting the findings from three Latina cultures. Klakovich's Reciprocal Empowerment Scale (RES) was designed to measure empowerment in the context of the leader-follower relationship in organizational settings. The RES is a 36-item inventory with a five-point Likert type scale. An investigator-designed questionnaire was used to collect demographic characteristics of the participants. Data were collected in face-to-face classroom settings in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and New York City. Latina nurses are widely dispersed in Indiana so mail-back questionnaires were used. Findings of the pilot study include a description of the three samples' demographic data and facts about current employment. The RES scores and demographic data are compared among Latina nurse groups in Indiana, Mexico, and New York. The RES scores are related to current professional positions, work satisfaction, and intent to stay. The research literature supports the notion of fostering empowerment as a viable strategy to increase professional satisfaction and nurse retention. This cross-national pilot study addresses the similarities and differences among Latina nurses and provides support for a larger multivariable project in several sites.
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