Knowledge, empowerment, and readiness in health policy development of nurses

Abstract

This descriptive correlational study aimed to determine the relationship between nurses' knowledge, empowerment, and readiness in health policy development. Utilizing a researcher-made survey, the study engaged 171 nurses across eight hospitals in the Province of Antique to assess their knowledge, empowerment, and readiness. The data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics, using frequency distribution, mean, and Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient to explore the relationships among variables. The findings reveal significant insights: nurses displayed a moderate to high level of knowledge about health policy, with a mean score of 10.24 out of 15, where 72.5% demonstrated high knowledge. In terms of empowerment, most nurses felt confident and supported in engaging with health policy activities, with 56.7% reporting high empowerment levels. Readiness among nurses also showed positive trends, with a mean score of 5.46 out of 10, indicating moderate to high readiness, and 51.5% showing high readiness. Importantly, the study revealed significant positive correlations between knowledge and readiness, and between empowerment and readiness, suggesting that both knowledge and empowerment are critical in enhancing nurses' readiness to engage in health policy development. The study concludes that nurses possess substantial knowledge and feel empowered in their role within health policy development, fostering a strong readiness to participate. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing nurses' knowledge and empowerment as strategic approaches to increase their involvement and effectiveness in health policy initiatives. This supports the notion that well-informed and empowered nurses are pivotal to the advancement of health policy, significantly contributing to healthcare improvements.