Exploring Professional Fulfillment in Nurse Managers: Implications for Workforce Sustainability

Nurse managers play a critical role in workforce stability, yet they face significant stress and risk of burnout. While burnout has been extensively studied, professional fulfillment remains underexplored in this population. This qualitative study analyzed open-ended responses from a national survey to explore how nurse managers define professional fulfillment. Findings included intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions such as impact, self-worth, satisfaction, staff and patient well-being, and supportive work environments. These results suggest that current professional fulfillment models may not fully capture the leadership experience, indicating the need for expanded frameworks and organizational investment.