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chapter 5 | Organizations, Power, and Empowerment 67 CikguOnline
shared governance would make it possible for the than when they attempt to bring about change
critical care nurses to accomplish their goal. individually. Large numbers of people have the
potential to cause more psychological or economic
Professional Organizations pain than an individual can. For example, the resig-
Although the purposes of the American Nurses nation of one nursing assistant or one nurse may
Association and that of other professional organi- cause a temporary problem, but it is usually resolved
zations are discussed in Chapter 15, these organi- rather quickly by hiring another individual. If 50 or
zations are considered here specifically in terms of 100 aides or nurses resign, however, the organization
how they can empower nurses. can be paralyzed and will have much more difficulty
A collective voice, expressed through these replacing these essential workers.Collective bargain-
organizations, can be stronger and more easily ing takes advantage of this power in numbers.
heard than one individual voice. By joining togeth- An effective collective bargaining contract can
er in professional organizations, nurses make their provide considerable protection to employees.
viewpoint known and their value recognized. The However, the downside of collective bargaining
power base of nursing professional organizations is (as with most uses of coercive power) is that it may
derived from the number of members and their encourage conflict rather than cooperation between
expertise in health matters. employees and managers, an “us” against “them”
Why there is power in numbers may need some environment (Haslam, 2001). Many nurses are also
explanation. Large numbers of active, informed concerned about the effect that going out on strike
members of an organization represent large num- might have on their patients’ welfare and on their
bers of potential voters to state and national legis- own economic security. Most administrators and
lators, most of whom wish to be remembered managers prefer to operate within a union-free
favorably in forthcoming elections. Large groups of environment (Hannigan, 1998).
people also have a “louder” voice: they can write
Research Example
more letters, speak to more friends and family
Can nurse managers empower their staff? The
members, make more telephone calls, and generally
answer is yes, according to nurse researchers who
attract more attention than small groups can.
surveyed 537 staff nurses in two large hospitals.
Professional organizations can empower nurses
Fostering autonomy and showing confidence in the
in a number of ways:
staff were especially empowering. Empowered staff
■ Collegiality, the opportunity to work with peers worked more effectively and had lower levels of
on issues of importance to the profession job-related tension. (Laschinger, H.K.S.,Wong, C.,
■ Commitment to improving the health and well- McMahon, L., & Kaufman, C. (1999). Leader
being of the people served by the profession behavior impact on staff nurse empowerment, job
■ Representation at the state or province and tension, and work effectiveness. Journal of Nursing
national level when issues of importance to Administration, 29[5], 28–39.)
nursing arise
Enhancing Expertise
■ Enhancement of nurses’ competence through
publications and continuing education Most health-care professionals, including nurses, are
■ Recognition of achievement through certifica- empowered to some extent by their own profession-
tion programs, awards, and the media al knowledge and competence. You can take steps to
enhance your own competence, thereby increasing
Collective Bargaining your own sense of empowerment (Fig. 5.4)
Like professional organizations, collective bargain- ■ Participate in interdisciplinary team confer-
ing uses the power of numbers, in this case for the ences and patient-centered conferences on
purpose of equalizing the power of employees and your unit.
employer to improve working conditions, gain ■ Attend continuing education offerings to
respect, increase job security, and have greater input enhance your expertise.
into collective decisions (empowerment) and pay ■ Attend local, regional, and national conferences
increases (Tappen, 2001). When people join for a sponsored by relevant nursing and specialty
common cause, they can often exert more power organizations.