Nursing power as viewed by nursing professionals

Background: The concept of nursing power has not been extensively reported in the nursing literature. Power is an extremely abstract concept, making it difficult to define and study. However, when defined as the capacity to achieve goals, power becomes a significant resource in nursing.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe how nursing professionals perceive the level of nursing group power in public healthcare organizations. Additionally, the connections between the background variables and nursing group power were analysed.

Methods: The participants in the study consisted of 289 Finnish nurses working in the specialist healthcare sector in Finland. The Sieloff-King Assessment of Group Outcome Attainment within Organizations© (SKAGOAO) instrument was utilized to assess the level of nursing group power within the selected organizations.

Findings: According to the present study, nursing professionals rated the outcome attainment (mean, 1.93), as well as goals/outcome competency (mean, 2.24), as very good. The position of nursing (mean, 2.55) as part of the healthcare service system was considered fairly respected. The role of nursing (mean, 2.54) was also considered to be at a good level. As regards to the actualization of power or outcome attainment capacity, respondents gave the lowest ratings to controlling the effects of environmental forces (mean, 2.75), resources (mean, 3.48), communication competency (mean, 3.00) and group supervisor's outcome attainment competency (mean, 2.87). Age, education, type of employment and work experience had an impact on how nursing group power was perceived.

Conclusions: The results of the present study indicated that the nurses perceived the lowest levels of group power in relation to the subscales of controlling the effects of environmental forces, resources, communication competency and group supervisor's outcome attainment competency.