title: Perceptions of structural empowerment: nurse leaders in rural health services.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide insight into the perceptions of structural empowerment of nurse leaders working in rural and regional Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Fostering nurse leadership in rural health services may be informed by gaining insight into rural nurse leaders' perceptions of structural empowerment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of nurse executives (n = 45) from hospitals throughout rural Victoria, Australia completed the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II (CWEQ-II) aimed to measure structural empowerment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rural nurse leaders' perceive themselves to be moderately empowered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The concept of structural empowerment may be useful to inform rural leadership practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acknowledgement of structural empowerment by nurse leaders may assist in the process of formulating strategies to facilitate an open, honest and responsive culture of patient safety, removing silos, departmental turf issues, and professional territoriality in healthcare services.
authors.affiliation: La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bish
authors.affiliation: La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nay
keywords: empowerment; leadership; nursing; rural