title: Perceptions of empowerment among ED nurses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nurses' perceptions of empowerment have been linked to a number of variables in the hospital workplace, including job satisfaction, autonomy, and work effectiveness. Yet there have been no previous studies of perceptions of empowerment specifically among emergency department (ED) nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Registered nurses (RNs) employed in the EDs of 6 hospitals in a major health care system in the eastern United States were surveyed regarding their perceptions of empowerment. Of the 240 RNs eligible to participate, there were 167 usable surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a moderate level of empowerment among the RNs who participated, consistent with the level of empowerment reported in several other studies of staff nurses and nurses in other positions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The moderate level of empowerment in this sample may be attributed to the many opportunities for RN involvement in the hospitals within this health care system. Nurse leaders can initiate programs focused on enhancing RN perceptions of empowerment. In addition, there is a need for further research among RNs with different specialty preparation.
authors.affiliation: Commack, NY; Cleveland, OH; Danbury, CT. Electronic address: DDiVivo@nshs.edu.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeVivo
authors.forename: Mary T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Quinn Griffin
authors.forename: Moreen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donahue
authors.forename: Joyce J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016529:Emergency Nursing; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire (CWEQ-II); Emergency department nurses; Empowerment; Kanter’s theory