AIM: The purpose of the study was to describe empowerment from the perspective of intensive care staff. What makes intensive care staff experience inner strength and power?

BACKGROUND: Intensive care staff are repeatedly exposed to traumatic situations and demanding events, which could result in stress and burnout symptoms. A higher level of psychological empowerment at the workplace is associated with increased work satisfaction and mental health, fewer burnout symptoms and a decreased number of sick leave days.

METHOD: Open-ended interviews were conducted with 12 intensive care unit (ICU) staff (four registered nurses, four enrolled nurses and four physicians) in southern Sweden. Data were analysed using a phenomenological method.

FINDINGS: Intensive care staff were found to be empowered both by internal processes such as feelings of doing good, increased self-esteem/self-confidence and increased knowledge and skills, and by external processes such as nourishing meetings, well functioning teamwork and a good atmosphere.

CONCLUSION: Findings show that not only personal knowledge and skills, but also a supporting atmosphere and a good teamwork, has to be focused and encouraged by supervisors in order to increase staff's experiences of empowerment. Staff also need a chance to feel that they do something good for patients, next of kin and other staff members.