Staff nurses' perceptions of job empowerment and level of burnout: a test of Kanter's theory of structural power in organizations.

Abstract

Kanter's structural theory of organizational behavior was used as framework to explore the relationship between perceptions of power and opportunity and level of burnout in a sample of 87 hospital staff nurses. Data were collected using a modified version of the Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire (Chandler, 1986) and the Human Services Survey (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). Consistent with Kanter's theory, perceived access to power and opportunity was significantly related to the three aspects of burnout: level of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (r = -.3419, p = .004; r = -.2931, p = .02), and personal accomplishments (r = .3630, p = .002). The results of this study are useful for nurse administrators positioned to create organizational structures than empower staff nurses and subsequently decrease burnout.