Examination of nurse manager' views regarding nurse empowerment

Aim: It is significant to reveal how nurse supervisors use their power and what they perceive and experience during the empowerment process. This study aims to examine the nurse manager' views regarding the empowerment of nurses. Method: This study is designed using interpretative phenomenology study method among qualitative research methods. The study sample comprised of 20 nurse managers affiliated to Ege University's Medical Faculty of Hospital Nursing Services Management. The study data were collected using focus group discussion, an introductory information form, and a semistructured information form in April 2017. The data were conceptualized and themes were revealed by content analysis conducted for data evaluation. Internal and external consistencies were taken into consideration during thematic coding. Written permissions were obtained from the administration of the hospital where the study was conducted, the ethical committee of the university, and the nurse managers participating in the study. Findings: Nurse managers supported structural empowerment by offering opportunities for professional development and advancement, and provided resources, information, and support to improve job motivation. Perceptions of legal and organizational weakness were revealed in nurse managers during structural empowerment. The findings regarding nurse managers' psychological empowerment show that vocational weakness perception was at the forefront of vocational empowerment perception in the meaning subscale. Psychological empowerment did not sufficiently strengthen nurses in the competence and self-determination subscales and nurses' authority was limited and was insufficient for participation in management. Nurse managers did not sufficiently empower nurses in the areas of patient safety and performance evaluation. Conclusion: Nurse managers conducted interventions for the psychological and structural empowerment of nurses, but they were insufficient. Nurse managers should take more independent decisions for efficient empowerment. Keywords: Nurse manager; empowerment; structural empowerment; psychological empowerment