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Motivation at work: nurses' perspectives and implications.

Background: clear job description, updated knowledge and skills, adequate and efficient resources and supplies, and leadership and support are the keys for successful organizational performance. Motivation is a cornerstone of leadership. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that increase or decrease the motivation levels on nurses in workplace.

Method: a cross-sectional descriptive design was used in the study utilizing self-administered questionnaires to collect data from nurses working in hospitals in Jordan, using intrinsic work motivation scale, (n=239).

Results: The  mean score was 2.81 (SD=0.7), motivation was determined by skill variety, autonomy, social contacts and opportunities to learn. High intrinsic work motivation was predicted by high decision authority, environmental uncertainty, and social support. Relationship between job content and work motivation was significant, ICU nurses and non-ICU nurses did not differ significantly as to intrinsic work motivation (F = 4.30), neither nurse gender. Relation between work motivation and age did not significantly differ. High workload had negative influence on hospital nurses´ motivation (p< .05).

Conclusion: Detection of the motivational factors would be useful to prevent nurses' dissatisfaction, burnout, and increase the cost of care. On the other hand, motivated nurses were satisfied, collaborate with other heath team members and provide better care to patients. Administrators and mangers play significant role in enhancing nurses' motivation and satisfaction.​