Impact at two years of an intervention on empowerment among medical care teams: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial in a large French university hospital

Abstract

BackgroundEmpowerment of hospital workers is known as a key factor of organizational performance and occupational health. Nevertheless, empowering workers remains a real challenge. As in many traditional organizations, hospitals follow a bureaucratic model defined by a managerial culture of control and a stratified organization, which at once weaken professionals’ mastery of their work and hinder their commitment and performance. Based on the existing literature this protocol describes a new managerial and organizational transformation program as well as the study design of its effect on worker empowerment in a large French public hospital. The project is funded by the French Ministry of Health for a total of 498,180 €.MethodsThis study is a randomized controlled trial conducted in a French university hospital complex (CHU). The CHU comprises 12 sub-centers (SC) with about 20 care units and 1000 employees each. Randomization is performed at SC level. The intervention lasts 12 months and combines accompaniment of healthcare teams, frontline managers and SC directors to empower first-line professionals in the experimental SC. Quantitative outcome measurements are collected over 2 years during mandatory check-ups in the occupational medicine department. The primary outcomes are structural and psychological empowerment, motivational processes, managerial practices, working conditions, health and performance. Mixed linear modeling is the primary data analysis strategy.DiscussionThe protocol was approved by the CHU health ethics committee. The results of the analysis of the intervention effects will be reported in a series of scientific articles. The results will contribute to reflection on prevention and management policies, and to the development of Workplace Quality-of-Life. If the intervention is a success, the system will warrant replication in other SCs and in other health facilities.Trial registrationThe study was retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on July 4, 2019 (NCT04010773).

Longitudinal psychological empowerment profiles, their determinants, and some health-related outcomes

“…All methods were performed in accordance with guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was conducted as part of the Chrysalide research project (Cougot et al, 2019).…”

Inovation for Nurses Burnout Intervention: A Systematic Review

“…So, it could alleviate the effects of stress and have a significant effect to avoid nurse burnout. Commonly, the leadership style of supervisor has a role in both contexts of worker's appreciation and group cohesion (Cougot et al, 2019).The nurse burnout was lessened when the supervisor was fair and supportive to the workers. Shortly, the most significant organizational factors which could cause to burnout were comprised of work overload, time pressure, lack of individual control, low level of decision making ability, poor ability of communication at work, and insufficient work rewards.…”

“…The main research finding was to identify the effects of intervention on structural and psychological empowerment, motivation process, managerial practice, working environment, health, and performance. Moreover, this research has a contribution in the nurse burnout solving, but it still needed a solid methodology to be able to empower the workforces in care facilities and improve the nursing managerial practices (Cougot, et al, 2019). Another research done by Imamura K, et al (2019) has developed two types of stress management programs by exerting smartphone assistance.…”

“…Thus, this condition indicates that burnout or fatigue is categorized into a social phenomenon rather than individual phenomenon (Dempsey et al, 2016). The different workplace or work setting factors can signify the early phases of burnout, whereas individual characteristics and personalities may affect the interpretation of their professions which are more likely to determine different ways to deal with stressor and interaction with work environment (Cougot et al, 2019).…”

Impact of empowering leadership on emotional exhaustion: A controlled interventional study in a large French university hospital complex

“…However, as explained earlier, the bureaucratic structure and culture of hospitals could limit the effectiveness of such a system (Cougot et al, 2019;Getz, 2009;Lega & De Pietro, 2005). In this sense, the literature on empowering leadership shows that the top-and middle-level managements of a company determine the adoption of empowering behaviours by front-line managers and, ultimately, the empowerment of field professionals (Carney & Getz, 2016;Dahinten et al, 2014;MacPhee et al, 2014;Migneault et al, 2009).…”