Nurses' autonomy: influence of nurse managers' actions

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Nurse autonomy is crucial for job satisfaction and retention.
• Existing literature indicates nurses often report dissatisfaction with their current level of autonomy.
• Nurses desire improved working conditions and greater decision-making power.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of nurse managers on the autonomy of hospital staff nurses.
• To understand how nurse managers can foster greater autonomy among nursing staff.

Main Methods:

• A comparative descriptive survey design was employed.
• Data were collected online via listservs in the USA, Canada, and the UK.
• 317 hospital nurses participated, with the majority from the USA.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported moderate autonomy, higher in patient care decisions than unit operations.
• Nurse managers' actions strongly correlated with nurses' autonomy in both patient care and unit operations.
• Supportive management, education, and experience were key factors increasing autonomy.

Conclusions:

• Hospital staff nurses possess moderate autonomy that can be enhanced through effective nurse manager support.
• Nurse managers play a vital role in promoting nurses' autonomy in patient care and unit operations.
• Further research is needed to address barriers to autonomous decision-making and promote participation.