Other Titles
Black Nurses’ Motivation to Lead: A Literature Review [Poster Title]
Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Background: Strong evidence reveals that a more diverse U.S. healthcare workforce enhances care delivery, promotes culturally responsive care, expands access to healthcare, and helps reduce disparities among underrepresented populations.1 The limited presence of Black nurses in frontline leadership roles has a profound impact on nursing and healthcare, limiting opportunities to improve resources, attract diverse talent, and maintain a workforce that reflects the communities it serves.2 The extent to which Black nurses are motivated to lead is not known.
Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to understand the prevalence of motivation to lead among Black nurses, its contributing factors, and knowledge gaps.
Methods: A literature search was conducted using the electronic academic databases CINAHL, EBSCOhost, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Criteria for the search included primary sources, English only, and peer-reviewed articles from the last ten years to understand the depth and breadth of motivation to lead among Black nurses. Nineteen empirical papers are included in the literature review, including 1 mixed-method, 6 quantitative, and 12 qualitative peer-reviewed publications.
Results: This review identified a limited number of quantitative and qualitative studies exploring nurses’ leadership motivation in acute care settings. Quantitative research indicated a moderate to high prevalence of leadership motivations among nurses; however, only one study included Black nurses in its sample.3 Qualitative studies focusing on Black nurses highlighted workplace racism and a lack of mentorship as significant barriers to leadership opportunities.4 Additionally, quantitative findings emphasized leadership self-efficacy as a key factor influencing nurses’ motivation to lead.5
Conclusions/Implications: The studies show that motivation to lead is moderate to high among samples predominantly composed of White nurses.3 A significant gap in the research was the underrepresentation of Black nurses in study samples. Factors such as workplace racism, leadership self-efficacy, and mentorship may be important factors associated with Black nurses’ motivation to lead. Quantifying and examining the impact of these factors is essential to gaining insights and developing strategies that support, empower, and prepare Black nurses for frontline leadership roles.
Notes
References:
1. American Nurses Association (2023). How nurse leaders can promote diversity in nursing.
2. Nelson, Y.M., Bundy, J., Harmon, E., Hammond, L., Robinson, K., Lyons, N., Vessels, R., Bush, K., & Thomas-Payne, D. (2023). Factors affecting the advancement of Black nurses into leadership roles: A scoping review. Nursing Outlook, 71, 1-6.
3. Al Sabei, S.D., Ross, A.M., & Lee, C.S. (2019). Factors influencing nurses’ willingness to lead. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(2), 278-285.
4. Iheduru-Anderson, K., and Revis Shingles, R. (2023). Mentoring experience for career advancement: The perspective of Black women academic nurse leaders. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 10, 1-22.
5. Cziraki, K., Read, E., Laschinger, H.K.S., & Wong, C. (2018). Nurses’ leadership self-efficacy, motivation, and career aspirations. Leadership in Health Services, 31(1), 47-61.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Literature Review
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Leadership, Nurse Leaders, Black Registered Nurses, DEI/BIPOC
Recommended Citation
Davis, Samantha Ann Katherine and Thomas-Hawkins, Charlotte, "Motivation to Lead and its Contributing Factors Among Black Registered Nurses: A Literature Review" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 188.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/188
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
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.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Motivation to Lead and its Contributing Factors Among Black Registered Nurses: A Literature Review
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Strong evidence reveals that a more diverse U.S. healthcare workforce enhances care delivery, promotes culturally responsive care, expands access to healthcare, and helps reduce disparities among underrepresented populations.1 The limited presence of Black nurses in frontline leadership roles has a profound impact on nursing and healthcare, limiting opportunities to improve resources, attract diverse talent, and maintain a workforce that reflects the communities it serves.2 The extent to which Black nurses are motivated to lead is not known.
Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to understand the prevalence of motivation to lead among Black nurses, its contributing factors, and knowledge gaps.
Methods: A literature search was conducted using the electronic academic databases CINAHL, EBSCOhost, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Criteria for the search included primary sources, English only, and peer-reviewed articles from the last ten years to understand the depth and breadth of motivation to lead among Black nurses. Nineteen empirical papers are included in the literature review, including 1 mixed-method, 6 quantitative, and 12 qualitative peer-reviewed publications.
Results: This review identified a limited number of quantitative and qualitative studies exploring nurses’ leadership motivation in acute care settings. Quantitative research indicated a moderate to high prevalence of leadership motivations among nurses; however, only one study included Black nurses in its sample.3 Qualitative studies focusing on Black nurses highlighted workplace racism and a lack of mentorship as significant barriers to leadership opportunities.4 Additionally, quantitative findings emphasized leadership self-efficacy as a key factor influencing nurses’ motivation to lead.5
Conclusions/Implications: The studies show that motivation to lead is moderate to high among samples predominantly composed of White nurses.3 A significant gap in the research was the underrepresentation of Black nurses in study samples. Factors such as workplace racism, leadership self-efficacy, and mentorship may be important factors associated with Black nurses’ motivation to lead. Quantifying and examining the impact of these factors is essential to gaining insights and developing strategies that support, empower, and prepare Black nurses for frontline leadership roles.
Description
This literature review examined studies exploring motivation to lead and its contributing factors among Black registered nurses in acute care settings. Key findings suggest that leadership self-efficacy, mentoring, and workplace racial climate may be associated with Black nurses’ leadership motivation. However, further research is needed to quantify the effects of leadership self-efficacy, mentoring, and workplace racial climate on Black nurses’ frontline leadership motivation.