Core Burnout and Power in Portuguese Nursing Staff: An Explanatory Model Based on Structural Empowerment

In the nursing context, structural empowerment has proved to be an organizational tool leading to the prevention of stress and burnout. Structural empowerment is defined as the perception of the presence or absence of empowering conditions in the workplace. However, few studies have explored the particular relationships between power in organizations, structural empowerment, and burnout. The aim of this study was to examine the mediator role of structural empowerment (access to opportunities, information, support, and resources) in the relationship between formal and informal power, and core burnout among Portuguese nurses. We administered a questionnaire among a convenience sample of 304 nurses employed in public hospitals. Model fit and mediation analysis were conducted using path analysis and bootstrapping methods. Formal power, informal power, access to opportunities, and access to resources were significant and negative predictors of core burnout. Opportunities, resources, and informal power had a direct influence on core burnout. Formal power and informal power showed an indirect influence, mediated by opportunities and resources, on core burnout. These findings suggest that by providing nurses with high levels of formal and informal power, as well as access to resources and opportunities, their risk of core burnout can be lowered.