5 steps to becoming an empowered nurse

Self-empowerment is more than just a “feel-good” concept in the field of nursing.

Sure, in other occupations feeling empowered can result in greater job satisfaction. It can provide a heightened sense of professional worth and value. It can lead to a “seat at the table” in decision making.

In nursing, it can be a matter of life and death.

“Think about it, if a nurse doesn’t feel empowered to speak up when her gut tells her something isn’t right, the patient she is treating could be at great risk,” explains Christy Davidson, DNP, interim dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences for Capella University. “It’s so very important for nurses to not only trust their instincts and experience but to feel empowered to speak up and advocate for what they feel is right. It’s not just about power. It’s about doing our duty as nurses to serve as client advocates at all times.”

The problem is, too many nurses don’t feel empowered. They second guess themselves. They hesitate. They don’t speak up. But why?

“You name it: bullying, gender stereotypes, childhood trauma, power games in the workplace – there are so many reasons why nurses don’t feel empowered,” Davidson laments. “As a society, we have a lot of work to do in creating a culture where we all feel empowered to share our voice and offer our opinions and expertise. We all have value. Nurses are not alone there. That said, the stakes are so much higher for nurses. Feeling empowered is not a nicety. It’s a necessity.”

So how do nurses cultivate that sense of self-empowerment that is so critical in the health care setting? How can they learn to trust their instincts and act on what they believe is right?

Davidson offers the following recommendations:

Build your confidence. Feeling empowered begins with feeling confident. Confidence in your skills. Confidence in your experience. Confidence in your analytical thinking. Nurses have so much to offer. The first step is to embrace that.

“Nurses need to cultivate their expertise and experience as that leads to confidence,” Davidson says. “More importantly, once they do, they need to really believe it. Trusting and believing in yourself is key. As nurses, we’re no longer just ‘skilled workers.’ We are strategic partners within a broader health care team. We should see ourselves that way and never doubt what we have to offer.”

Trust your intuition. As much as nurses have to be highly skilled and deeply knowledgeable about the science of health care, they also need to trust their gut feelings. No one is closer to the patient than a nurse. And with that comes a heightened awareness that goes beyond numbers on a chart.

“I don’t think nurses trust their instincts as much as they should,” Davidson says. “These are finely honed responses that should be listened to. The problem is that there is so much noise in our lives. With all the distractions around us, particularly in the health care setting, it’s hard to hear that quiet voice that is intuition. We need to take the time to still ourselves in order to listen to what our intuition is telling us.”

Be a life-long learner. Simply put, if you don’t “know your stuff” you’re less likely to feel empowered to raise your voice and advocate on a patient’s behalf. Nurses can never be “shaky” or “rusty” on their knowledge base. Nursing education is not a one-and-done phenomenon. The science of medicine changes so rapidly that nurses are challenged to stay current on the constantly evolving trends in health care.

“Empowerment is a living, breathing thing, and it needs to be fed,” Davidson says. “By continually exploring and learning, whether that is through formal education or attending seminars or reading the latest journal articles or listening to podcasts, you help ensure you are at the top of your game, which boosts your confidence. And that is the root of feeling empowered.”

Be authentic. It’s sad, but many of us go to work each day and “become someone else.” Nurses are no exception. Too many nurses feel they can’t be their authentic selves in the workplace. In a sense, we morph into actors and portray the type of nurse we believe our organizations want to see. That needs to stop.

“That is so self-defeating and is the antithesis to feeling empowered,” Davidson says. “We know when we are being phony. And it doesn’t feel good. We don’t believe in ourselves then, and that kills empowerment. Maintaining our integrity and authenticity is extremely important as nurses. We can’t be fearful about who we are and what we have to offer. We must be transparent and real. Only then will we feel empowered.”

Practice self-empathy. The flip-side of being authentic is to practice self-empathy. When we are truly being ourselves, we are more in tune with how we are feeling. Don’t shy away from that, Davidson says. Truly experience and process your emotions. If you are hurting, recognize that. If you are angry, ask yourself why.

“Nurses deal with so much,” Davidson says. “If we don’t work through our emotions, we are essentially ‘walking wounded,’ and that is no way to feel empowered. Sometimes when people say things that might feel discrediting or diminishing, we personalize it too much. Recognize that, but don’t let it define you. Just like it was in childhood, most of the time when someone tries to belittle you, it is just a projection and reflection of how that person feels about themselves. Be bigger than that. Be strong. Be empowered!”

Learn more about Capella University’s nursing degree programs.