ABSTRACT
AIM: This study explored conceptualizations of empowerment among Irish nurses and midwives. BACKGROUND: Current literature on the meaning of empowerment lacks consensus. As a result there is a likelihood that empowerment will be conceptualized differently between managers and subordinates. METHOD: In order to get a sense of how Irish practitioners viewed empowerment, 10 focus groups were held in locations throughout Ireland (n = 93). A national distribution of participants was obtained. RESULTS: Twenty-one different responses emerged representing what nurses and midwives understood by the term empowerment. In relation to experiences of empowerment, six themes were found to impact on empowerment experiences. Three themes emerged as central to empowerment. One theme (education for practice) was identified as an antecedent to empowerment. CONCLUSION: Empowerment is a complex concept and its meaning is contextually determined. Managers play a key role in impacting on the empowerment perceptions of Irish nurses and midwives.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Nurse Midwives/psychology , Nurse's Role/psychology , Nursing Staff/psychology , Power, Psychological , Assertiveness , Clinical Competence , Decision Making, Organizational , Focus Groups , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Interprofessional Relations , Ireland , Models, Nursing , Models, Psychological , Nurse Administrators/organization & administration , Nurse Administrators/psychology , Nurse Midwives/education , Nurse Midwives/organization & administration , Nursing Methodology Research , Nursing Staff/education , Nursing Staff/organization & administration , Organizational Culture , Professional Autonomy , Self Efficacy , Social Support , Workplace/organization & administration , Workplace/psychologyABSTRACT
It is important that innovative tools that are created to enhance student learning are efficient and effective. Satisfying both criteria presents many challenges to contemporary nurse educators who wish to embark on creating alternative media to augment student nurse education. This paper is based on the author's own experience of producing a teaching video with the assistance of two multimedia students. This project was made possible by a university teaching and learning grant. Some recommendations are made arising from the 'lessons learned' from this project are highlighted. These are broadly categorised into pre-production, production and post-production considerations. In general, a good working relationship within the production team was beneficial in clarifying discrepancies between multimedia perspectives and nurse educator perspectives. It is hoped that this paper will be helpful to prospective nurse educators intending to produce similar video material.
