THE RELATIONSHIP OF NURSING WORK ENVIRONMENT TO EMPOWERMENT AND POWERLESSNESS (UTAH).
Contributors: University of Utah.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 133
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This is an exploratory study of nurses' (n = 268) perceptions of work conditions. The theoretical framework was developed from Rogers' nursing model and Kanter's organizational theory. The principle of integrality from Rogers' nursing model was utilized. Integrality predicts changes in life process through the interaction of the individual and environment. Kanter's theory is more specific to the work areas with similar assumptions to Rogers specifically: The interaction between the individual and the work environment produces work behaviors. The sample was from two hospitals of similar size, purpose, and location in northeast Utah. The nurses were informed of the study through presentations by the investigator and by mail. Each voluntary participant received an Effective Work Conditions Questionnaire and a demographic data form. The questionnaire included five subscales (opportunities, supplies, job activities, information, and support) each rated on two 5-point scales.

The first research question addressed whether nurses would perceive the five factors made up of the same components as Kanter's factors. The results of the statistical analysis indicated nurses perceived three factors as important to effective work conditions: Support, Information, and Opportunity.

The next two research questions addressed the relationship between variables and factors. There were no significant differences found between the individual variables and the three factors. The nurses in one hospital perceived they had more support. Critical care nurses perceived they had more support and information than the medical, surgical, or obstetrics units. The interview data validated these perceptions.

The results indicated that there was a correlation between the work environment and the individual which suggests support for Kanter's theory of interaction between individual and environment and Rogers' principal of integrality. Implications for nursing and limitations of this study were given.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-12, Section: B, page: 4822.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, 1987.

School code: 0240.