Abstract
PURPOSE/AIM: The purpose of this research study was to test the relationships between the Nurse Manager Practice Environment (NMPE) and Nurse Manager (NM) outcomes such as job satisfaction (JS), reason for leaving (RFL), and career recommendation (CR).
BACKGROUND: The NM is in a pivotal role and their leadership helps cultivate a positive practice environment that ultimately impacts patient safety and quality patient outcomes. The healthcare system has become increasingly complex, and consequently the role of the NM has become more stressful and demanding; only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many NMs will leave or have left their positions because of personal and organizational stress, burnout, work-life imbalance, and job dissatisfaction. In fact, a 2022 national study of NMs indicated that 9% changed positions, 16% plan to leave their position, and 29% might leave their position. When a NM leaves their position there are considerable financial and cultural consequences and risks to patient safety. Therefore, studying these relationships is significant to NM retention and recruitment of future nurse leaders. The limited research in this area makes studying the NMPE important to further understand how to enhance NM job satisfaction and prevent NMs from leaving their important role.
METHODS: A secondary analysis of quantitative data that were previously collected in 2017 as a part of a larger national study. Data was collected from NMs from member hospitals of the National Database of Quality Indicators ® (NDNQI) database. Continuous and categorical methods of measures used in the primary study were congruent with aims of this study. The purposes of the primary study were different from this research study. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for both studies. The sample (n=181) included permanent NMs with departments that care for inpatients or inpatient/outpatients within the United States and were planning to leave their position in the next 0-3 years. The relationship between variables was tested using linear regression.
RESULTS: Linear regression established that job satisfaction (JS), career recommendation (CR), and reason for leaving (RFL) were all able to positively predict NMPE scores (R2 = 36.7%, β = .606, F(1, 179) = 103.67, p = < .001; R2 = 32%, β = .566, F(1, 179)= 84.28, p = < .001; R2 = 12.3%, β = .351, F(1, 162) = 22.73, p < .001).
IMPLICATIONS/FUTURE RESEARCH: Findings from this study informs implications and future research within the current context. The past years of the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly impacted NMs. Extended hours, taking on additional assignments, and supporting the emotional health and well-being of their team has had an effect on their overall mental and physical health and this can lead to decreased JS and turnover. The healthcare environment is complex and additional studies of the NMPE post-pandemic should be considered based on these findings. Future research should be longitudinal in nature and focus on causal relationships and specific role redesign interventions. This study makes a valuable contribution to the literature to help guide future efforts to improve NM JS, recruitment, and retention.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Kappa at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Nurse Managers, Work Environment, Personnel Turnover, Job Satisfaction, Job Performance, Nursing Outcomes
Recommended Citation
Grubaugh, Martha L., "The Important Context of the Nurse Manager Practice Environment and the Link to Outcomes" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 70.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/70
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-20
The Important Context of the Nurse Manager Practice Environment and the Link to Outcomes
Washington, DC, USA
PURPOSE/AIM: The purpose of this research study was to test the relationships between the Nurse Manager Practice Environment (NMPE) and Nurse Manager (NM) outcomes such as job satisfaction (JS), reason for leaving (RFL), and career recommendation (CR).
BACKGROUND: The NM is in a pivotal role and their leadership helps cultivate a positive practice environment that ultimately impacts patient safety and quality patient outcomes. The healthcare system has become increasingly complex, and consequently the role of the NM has become more stressful and demanding; only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many NMs will leave or have left their positions because of personal and organizational stress, burnout, work-life imbalance, and job dissatisfaction. In fact, a 2022 national study of NMs indicated that 9% changed positions, 16% plan to leave their position, and 29% might leave their position. When a NM leaves their position there are considerable financial and cultural consequences and risks to patient safety. Therefore, studying these relationships is significant to NM retention and recruitment of future nurse leaders. The limited research in this area makes studying the NMPE important to further understand how to enhance NM job satisfaction and prevent NMs from leaving their important role.
METHODS: A secondary analysis of quantitative data that were previously collected in 2017 as a part of a larger national study. Data was collected from NMs from member hospitals of the National Database of Quality Indicators ® (NDNQI) database. Continuous and categorical methods of measures used in the primary study were congruent with aims of this study. The purposes of the primary study were different from this research study. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for both studies. The sample (n=181) included permanent NMs with departments that care for inpatients or inpatient/outpatients within the United States and were planning to leave their position in the next 0-3 years. The relationship between variables was tested using linear regression.
RESULTS: Linear regression established that job satisfaction (JS), career recommendation (CR), and reason for leaving (RFL) were all able to positively predict NMPE scores (R2 = 36.7%, β = .606, F(1, 179) = 103.67, p = < .001; R2 = 32%, β = .566, F(1, 179)= 84.28, p = < .001; R2 = 12.3%, β = .351, F(1, 162) = 22.73, p < .001).
IMPLICATIONS/FUTURE RESEARCH: Findings from this study informs implications and future research within the current context. The past years of the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly impacted NMs. Extended hours, taking on additional assignments, and supporting the emotional health and well-being of their team has had an effect on their overall mental and physical health and this can lead to decreased JS and turnover. The healthcare environment is complex and additional studies of the NMPE post-pandemic should be considered based on these findings. Future research should be longitudinal in nature and focus on causal relationships and specific role redesign interventions. This study makes a valuable contribution to the literature to help guide future efforts to improve NM JS, recruitment, and retention.
Description
Nurse manager (NM) turnover leads to significant financial and cultural consequences and patient risks. Thus, it is important to understand more about their practice environment and its' relationship with NM outcomes. These findings are helpful when considering role redesign efforts in a post-pandemic era.