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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this research is to describe a model of nurses' work motivation relevant to the human caring stance of professional nursing work.
Design/methodology/approach - The model was derived from selected theories of behavioral motivation and work motivation. Evidence-based theory addressing nurses' work motivation and nurses' motivational states and traits in relation to characteristics of organizational culture and patient health outcomes is suggested in an effort to make a distinct contribution to health services research. An integrated review of selected theories of motivation is presented, including conceptual analyses, theory-building techniques, and the evidence supporting the theoretical propositions and linkages among variables intrinsic to nurses' work motivation.
Findings - The model of the Motivation to Care for Professional Nursing Work is a framework intended for empirical testing and theory building. The model proposes specific leadership and management strategies to support a culture of motivational caring and competence in health care organizations.
Originality/value - Attention to motivation theory and research provides insights and suggests relationships among nurses' motivation to care, motivational states and traits, individual differences that influence nurses' work motivation, and the special effects of nurses' work motivation on patient care outcomes. Suggestions for nursing administrative direction and research are proposed.
Keywords Nursing, Motivation (psychology), Leadership, Health services
Paper type Research paper
Competence and caring among nurses are professional expectations. Nurses have both a moral and ethical duty to treat patients competently in a caring and professional way. Yet the nursing profession continues to struggle with multiple complex issues that affect nurses' efforts to be competent, caring healthcare professionals. Current nursing workforce shortages have had a negative impact on nurse morale and staffing; and such shortages challenge recruitment and retention efforts worldwide (Aiken et al, 2001). High nursing turnover and lack of adequate nurse staffing is linked to decreased nurses' work satisfaction, decreased patient satisfaction with the quality of nursing care, and poorer health outcomes for patients (Aiken et al., 2001; Leiter et al, 1998; Needlemen et al., 2002; Strachota et al, 2003). Overall, the quality of health care is affected by interactions among these complex variables, and therefore it is necessary to begin to discover the connections between motivational issues in professional nursing work and patient care outcomes.
Nursing care...