Abstract
Objectives: Work engagement is an important aspect of organizational efforts that are made to retain nurses and to improve the quality of care. This literature review aims to clarify the research methodology with regard to the work engagement of nurses and to consider the research challenges.
Methods: Electronic databases for the Health Sciences and Health Administration (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Japanese Central Review of Medicine) and Psychology (PsycINFO) were systematically explored with the following key words: nurse, engagement, and work engagement. Twenty English articles published from 2004 to November 2011 were reviewed.
Results: Most studies focused on nurses in hospital settings. The findings revealed that methodological issue was to juggle various hospitals and units at once. There were four scales measured work engagement. Recently, researchers used Utrecht Work Engagement Scale with the conceptual framework of Job Demands–Resources model. Improving nurses' work engagement made a contribution not only to nurses' physical and mental health outcomes but also to a quality of care and organizational efficiency.
Conclusion: The following are future challenges: need for further research regarding variables considered features of settings and units, application of further analytical methods. Thereafter, the causal association between antecedents, work engagement, and outcomes should be clarified by studying longitudinal and interventional designs.
