The relationship between perceived organizational support and psychological empowerment among nurses in selected South African public hospitals.

ORIENTATION: Psychological empowerment is essential for improving employee effectiveness in demanding work environments such as public healthcare, where organizational support plays an important role in shaping employees' work experiences. RESEARCH PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between perceived organizational support and psychological empowerment among nurses in the public healthcare sector. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: South African public healthcare institutions face high workloads and resource constraints, highlighting the need to understand how organizational support improves employees' psychological functioning. RESEARCH APPROACH/DESIGN AND METHOD: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 230 nurses using a structured questionnaire and analysed using the SPSS Version 27. MAIN FINDINGS: The results indicated a significant positive relationship between perceived organizational support and psychological empowerment, indicating that higher organizational support is associated with greater empowerment among nurses. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that healthcare management should prioritize supportive organizational practices, such as recognition, communication, and professional development, to improve employees' sense of autonomy, competence, and impact. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of perceived organizational support as a key driver of psychological empowerment within the South African public healthcare context.