Empowerment In Nursing Leadership

Assignment 2: Concept paper.

Empowerment of Nurses to become Effective Clinical leaders: A Concept analysis.

Over the last few decades health care system all over the world has undergone significant changes which have directly and indirectly influenced nursing practice. Empowerment of nursing leaders and nurses was one major change that transformed nursing profession to an independent profession. The need for empowerment continues because of the increased challenges and pressures that are exerted by political changes and budget constraints on health care system. However, nursing leaders should realize that it is the need of the hour to encourage and empower nurses to take up clinical leadership at grass-root level (Robert, 1983, p.29) to shape and guide clinical practice and to ensure optimum patient outcome. Health Workforce Australia 2012 report also stresses about the need to engage clinicians in leadership behaviours because of its proven cost effectiveness and ability to promote innovation and change. However, it is evident that empowerment and positive work environment does not occur naturally – rather, they must be created and fostered by strong nurse leaders (Upenieks, 2003).

The concept of empowerment is widely used in nursing literature and has been analysed at various levels. In this essay, I would like to discuss and analyse the use of empowerment as a powerful tool to effective clinical leadership based on the concept analysis method described by Walker and Avant (2005). This tool if used effectively by respective mangers will bring about significant positive changes in the workplace. It is worth noting that the major responsibility of empowering nurses is in the hands of their managers. Unfortunately, not all manager...

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...he concept or do not have the right attitude towards the concept. This analysis has greatly widened my perspectives about the concept of empowerment and has given me the opportunity to understand and interpret the need of engaging in empowering behaviours. As a nurse, I always dreamt of a career growth but soon realized that most nurses are victims of nurse leaders who have no vision for their staffs. It is this lack of vision that turns down the profession to such an extent that gradually nurses start to feel that they are just numbers on the Roster. As nurses we have to rise above our circumstances and learn to empower ourselves to take up roles that will bring about the ‘change’ we are looking for. A ‘change’ that is both positive and empowering to our fellow nurses. It is indeed our responsibility to lead the next generation of nurses in the right direction.