Poster Presentation

Friday, July 13, 2007
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM

Friday, July 13, 2007
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
This presentation is part of : Poster Presentation III
Creating Work Environment on Perceived Nurses' Role Satisfaction
Marija Bohinc, PhD, RN, Nursing Department, University of Ljubljana, University College for Health Studies, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Learning Objective #1: the learner will be able to understand the effect of structures on nurses'empowerment
Learning Objective #2: the learner will be able to apply the concepts in creating new work environment

Background: Researches based on the concepts of Rosabeth Moss Kanter's  Structural Theory have shown nurses have less formal and informal power.  One of the reasons given is hierarhical organizational structure. Nurses are not involved enough in management decision making and they feel  job dissatisfaction, stress and  burnout. A study in Slovenia in 2005 found nurses have opportunities for professional growth, perform various tasks and have  less access to informations,  support, resources, they have fewer possibilities to make decisions about the nursing care system and have less collaboration with doctors in team. The traditional organizational structure is perceived as the threat for performing  high quality of patient care and nurses' satisfaction. 

Research Question:How do nurses perceive organizational empowerment  structures?

Methods: A descriptive survey design was used for the 2006 study. Surveys were distributed in a classroom setting to a convenience sample of 40 part time students studying in a modified three years University College Nursing program. Participants completed the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II - CWEO II which consists  of 19 items and  six  components of structural empowerment, described  by Kanter, opportunity, information, support, resources, formal power, informal power, and   2 items global empowerment scale which is used  for construct  validation purposes.  Items are ranged from1 -5 Likert scale. Questionnaire is used by permission of the author  Heather K. Spence Laschinger ( 2006).


 Results: Data are in the phase of statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics will be used to compute all scales and subscales and demographic variables.

Conclusion: Results of the  research study will  have implications for nurse managers and hospital directors in creating more effective and efficient heath care organizations and in implementing organizational changes.