Nurse Manager Practice Environment and Its Influencing Factors: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the current status and related factors of practice environments of nurse managers in China. Background. Insufficient nurse staffing and poor working environment directly increase the burnout and turnover of nurse leaders. Nurse managers play a pivotal role in healthcare organizations, and their performance has been inextricably linked to achieving optimal patient, staff, and healthcare organizational outcomes. However, there are few studies exploring the influencing factors of nurse manager practice environment. Methods. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to examine a sample of 405 nursing managers who were selected from 10 hospitals located across three provinces in China. The general characteristics questionnaire, the Nurse Manager Practice Environment Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Career Growth Scale were used. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and multiple stepwise linear regression. Results. The total scores of the nurse manager practice environments were 236.71 ± 27.635 (with 270 being the highest possible score), which was at a generally high level. The three lowest scores were adequate budgeted resources, fair and manageable workload, and nurse manager-physician relationships. Nurse manager practice environment was predicted by hospital geographic location, having (or not) training experience in higher ranked hospitals, levels of perceived stress, and career growth scores. Conclusion. Chinese nursing managers reported a relatively favorable nursing practice environment. Policymakers should pay more attention to the practice environment of nursing managers in small city hospitals, and they could regularly evaluate, monitor, and promote practice environment determinants that are sensitive to disparities between different hospitals. In addition, hospital managers can take action by implementing diversity training programs, developing stress-reduction initiatives, and creating robust career development programs for nurse managers to support nurse managers better. Implications for nursing management: a better understanding of the current practice environment of nursing managers is beneficial for improving nursing managers’ work environment, which in turn will promote the quality of care delivered and nursing management work. For nurse managers, the characteristics of the management and work environment of the small city hospitals should be benchmarked and learned against the district capital hospitals. Also, hospital administrators were required to adopt strategies to foster psychological support of nurse managers and create pathways and opportunities for professional growth to create a supportive working environment.