1. Organizations, Power, and Empowerment
Chapter 5
Organizations, Power, and Empowerment

2. Types of Health Care Organizations
Private not-for-profit
Publicly supported
Private for-profit

3. Understanding Organizational Culture
Artifact level
Espoused beliefs
Underlying assumptions

4. Organizational Goals
Survival
Growth
Profit
Status
Dominance

5. Organizational Structures
Traditional
Hierarchical
Employees are ranked from top to bottom
Number of people on the bottom usually greater than the number on the top
Authority resides at the top
Power is distributed

6. The Organizational Hierarchy
CEO
Administrators
Managers
Staff nurses
Technicians (including LPNs)
Aides, housekeeping, maintenance

7. Innovative Organic structure Emphasizes flexibility Less centralized
Decisions are made by the individuals who will implement them
Emphasizes autonomy

8. Processes A way to get things done within an organization
Two mechanisms
Formal
Informal

9. Definition
Power is the ability to influence other people despite resistance
Power may be actual or potential
Power may be intended or unintended

10. Sources of Power
Authority
Reward
Expertise
Coercion

11. Who Has the Power?
Managers
Clients
Assistants
Nurses

12. Feeling Empowered Includes
Empowering Nurses
Feeling Empowered Includes
Self-determination
Meaning
Competence
Impact

13. Contributors to Empowerment
Decision-making
Manageable workload
Reward and recognition
Fairness

14. Group-Level Empowerment
Professional organizations
Collective bargaining
Shared governance

15. Enhancing Expertise Participate in team conferences CEU offerings
Attend conferences
Keep your reading up-to-date
Participate in nursing research
Observe experienced nurses and nurse leaders

16. Conclusion
Becoming and remaining empowered requires active participation
Seek organizations whose organizational cultures are a fit with your professional goals