Abstract

VILLAGRA RIVERA, Nancy  and  RUOTI COSP, Mónica. Nursing empowerment in the adult intensive care units at the Central Hospital of the Instituto de Previsión Social. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2018, vol.16, n.1, pp.84-93. ISSN 1812-9528.  https://doi.org/10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2018.016(01)84-93.

Empowerment is a process by which people strengthen their abilities, confidence, vision and roles to promote positive changes in the situations they go through, therefore it is a challenge for nursing professionals at all levels of assistance. The objective of this study was to analyze the nurse empowerment at the adult intensive care of the Hospital Central del Instituto de Previsión Social in Asunción Paraguay. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was carried out. Data was collected through recorded semi-structured interviews with questions based on six categories of study: sense of belonging, autonomy, leadership, teamwork, participation in associations and perception of empowerment. A convenience sampling reaching saturation with 17 subjects was used. Answers of the participants were grouped into common ideas to deduce the results. Analysis took into account the Zimmerman and Benner proposals in terms of empowerment and professional nursing development, respectively. In the studied group, attributes such as autonomy and teamwork were distinguished as favoring individual empowerment. However, these qualities contrast with a weak sense of belonging, a relative practice of leadership and little participation in associations. Consequently, the nursing empowerment in the intensive care units studied is an incipient process that requires effective interventions to consolidate and strengthen the professional identity.

Keywords : empowerment; nursing care; intensive care.

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