Discovering and dreaming: long-term care healthcare aide perceptions of structural empowerment

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorElias, Jocelyn
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeCare, Dean W. (Nursing)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeDoupe, Malcolm (Community Health Sciences)
dc.contributor.supervisorScanlan, Judith
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-01T16:12:56Z
dc.date.available2025-04-01T16:12:56Z
dc.date.issued2025-03-17
dc.date.submitted2025-03-26T21:58:26Zen_US
dc.degree.disciplineNursing
dc.degree.levelMaster of Nursing (M.N.)
dc.description.abstractBackground and objective: Chronic and emergent care challenges have led to diminished quality of care in many long-term care (LTC) facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Healthcare aides (HCAs) occupy a strategically important role in achieving improved resident care outcomes yet continue to experience disempowerment through authoritarian working conditions. The aim of this study was to develop a robust description of HCA perceptions of how organizational structures empower them and the desired dream state for such structures. Approach: This study used a qualitative descriptive research design informed by Kanter’s theory of structural empowerment within an appreciative inquiry (AI) framework. AI was chosen for its optimistic egalitarian approach towards organization change; it provided a platform for HCA voices to be heard, protected, and valued. Sampling used volunteer participants and involved convenience and snowball sampling. Ten HCA participants were recruited from four Winnipeg LTC sites. Semi-structured virtual interviews were used to gather rich descriptive data, allowing for an understanding of participant perspectives. Findings: Two main themes emerged from the data: i) What is Important to Healthcare Aides; and ii) Challenges. These participants care about their residents, their job satisfaction and team functioning but experience numerous challenges in their work. They lack access to opportunities for education, resources (i.e., staffing and time), and support from managers and organizations; they also endure difficult, stressful, and dangerous working conditions and retention is inadequately prioritized by the LTC sector. Modifiable organizational structures have the potential to improve resident care by empowering healthcare aides and may to be mediated by the functionality of teams and the use of regular healthcare aides. Conclusion: Empowering healthcare aides is a means to improve the well-being and satisfaction of these essential workers and represents a strategy for ensuring these workers have what they need to provide quality care to residents.
dc.description.noteMay 2025
dc.description.sponsorshipIrene E. Nordwich Foundation Graduate Student Award; Graduate Nursing Students Association Major Stream Scholarship; Irene E. Nordwich Foundation International Year of the Nurse and Midwife Special Award; Dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Achievement Prize; Manitoba Training Program for Health Services Research Studentship Award; International Student Training and Exchange Project; Winnipeg Foundation Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Award; University of Manitoba Emerging Leader Award; Canadian Nurses Foundation Dr. Helen Preston Glass Award; Foundation for Registered Nurses of Manitoba Inc. Graduate Scholarship; Peter and Dorothy Saydak Memorial Scholarship; Mona McLeod Award; Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research Graduate Student Research Grant; University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association Student Award; Faculty of Graduate Studies Travel Award; College of Nursing Endowment Fund Graduate Student Conference Award; University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association Conference Grant
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/38972
dc.language.isoeng
dc.subjectlong-term care
dc.subjecthealthcare aide
dc.subjectstructural empowerment
dc.subjectqualitative descriptive research
dc.subjectappreciative inquiry
dc.subjectorganizational structures
dc.subjectsystemic power
dc.subjectopportunity structures
dc.subjectpower structures
dc.subjectinformation
dc.subjectsupport
dc.subjectresources
dc.subjecttime
dc.subjectstaffing
dc.subjectproportion structures
dc.subjectracialized
dc.subjectteamwork
dc.subjectconsistent staff
dc.subjectagency
dc.subjectwork conditions
dc.subjectworker well-being
dc.titleDiscovering and dreaming: long-term care healthcare aide perceptions of structural empowerment
local.subject.manitobayes
oaire.awardTitleMasters Studentship Award
oaire.awardURIhttps://researchmanitoba.ca/funding/programs/masters-studentship-award/
project.funder.nameResearch Manitoba
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Elias_Jocelyn.pdf
Size:
1.32 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
770 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed to upon submission
Description:
Download
Collections
FGS - Electronic Theses and Practica
Manitoba Heritage Theses