Nurse manager practice environment in hospital context: scoping review

Introduction: Nurse managers play a key role in healthcare organizations, particularly in promoting favorable practice environments for nurses in clinical practice. However, the knowledge about their own practice environment is under-explored. Objective: Mapping the scientific evidence on the nurse manager's practice environment in acute healthcare settings. Methods: This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and was reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive three-step search strategy was conducted across CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Index, and RCAAP. Studies in English, Portuguese, and Spanish were included, with no time restrictions. Results: A total of 19 studies were included, representing the perspectives of 2,072 nurse managers in hospital settings. Most of the studies were conducted in the United States (74%), with quantitative research being the most common methodology (68%). Conclusion: Enhancing the practice environment for nurse managers through organizational support, leadership development, and workload management is crucial for improving nurse retention, job satisfaction, and quality of care. Future research should investigate the connection between nurse managers’ work environments and the outcomes of direct care nurses to inform evidence-based management strategies.