chapter 5
Organizations, Power,
and Empowerment
OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, the student should be able to:
■Recognize the various ways in which health-care
organizations differ.
■Explain the importance of organizational culture.
■Define power and empowerment.
■Identify sources of power in a health-care organization.
■Describe several ways in which nurses can be empowered.
OUTLINE
Understanding Organizations
Types of Health-Care Organizations
Organizational Characteristics
Organizational Culture
Culture of Safety
Care Environments
Identifying an Organization’s Culture
Organizational Goals
Structure
The Traditional Approach
More Innovative Structures
Processes
Power
Definition
Sources
Empowering Nurses
Participation in Decision Making
Shared Governance
Professional Organizations
Collective Bargaining
Enhancing Expertise
Conclusion57