Structural empowerment and speaking up among overseas trained nurses in the United Kingdom, National Health Service

Abstract

Structural empowerment within workplaces plays a crucial role in enabling the overseas trained nurses' confidence to speak up against unsafe practice and be affected by adverse workplace culture. In this study levels of structural empowerment were explored utilizing the Condition for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire 2 and hypothetical vignettes to understand speaking-up practices among Overseas trained nurses.

Moderate levels of structural empowerment were perceived in the domains of access to opportunity (M = 4.05; SD = 0.09) and access to information (M = 3.52; SD = 0.77). Lower levels were perceived in the domains of access to resources (M = 3.04, SD = 0.88) and access to support (M = 3.49; SD = 0.91). The majority (95.8 %) reported high levels of willingness to speak-up. Access to opportunity and information positively influenced speaking up.

Nurses perceive that opportunities to gain new skills and knowledge and information about the values and goals of the organization can empower them to speak up. These areas should be developed in NHS, messages reinforced, and initiatives taken to build confidence around patient safety practices. Their perceived inadequate access to support, through feedback and guidance from co-workers and inadequate access to resources, indicates a need to optimize strategies to address these areas to maintain and enhance patient safety culture.