Structural Empowerment and Nurses' Intention to Stay in the Profession: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Survey.

AIM: Nursing, as a critical profession in the healthcare system, faces challenges such as limited access to resources, information, and professional opportunities, which may contribute to nurses' intention to leave the profession. Structural empowerment may improve the work environment and enhance job motivation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between structural empowerment and nurses' intention to stay in the profession. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional survey. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 186 nurses working in Hamedan, Iran, using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II (CWEQ-II), and the Wiener and Vardi Intention to Stay Questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 16. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was found between structural empowerment and nurses' intention to stay in the profession (r = 0.49, p < 0.001). The overall levels of structural empowerment and intention to stay were moderate. Among the dimensions of structural empowerment, access to opportunities had the highest mean score (3.7 ± 0.85), whereas access to resources had the lowest (2.5 ± 0.91). Employment type was also significantly associated with nurses' intention to stay in the profession. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution was involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.