The meaning of empowerment within Italian nursing care settings

Aim: To examine the current state of empowerment of nurses in Italy.Background: Empowerment is a broad concept that is also relevant to the field ofnursing practice. Its comprehension and use are important because empowerment allowsnurses to take control of their own practice. A clear understanding of empowermentis necessary for nurses to take advantage of this important tool.Design: Focus groups were conducted.Methods: A literature review was performed, and two focus groups were selectedbetween January and February 2014.Results: Sixteen nurses participated in the research. Empowerment is seen as beingstrongly connected to autonomy and is not associated with power, as the word itselfsuggests. Italian nurses define empowerment as the creation of conditions that help toestablish the possibility for people to develop and express their value and potential.Conclusions: Empowerment is defined as a condition in which the individual nursetakes control of his/her own practice and thereby provides awareness and confidenceto a group.Implications for Nursing Management: Italian nurses need to feel appreciated andsupported by their own organisations. If warranted, empowerment would allow themto contribute to enhance care, which is the core of the nursing profession.