From a professional standpoint, participants mentioned they perceived professional fulfillment when their unit is running smoothly or when they feel like they make a positive impact. One participant shared the following:
‘I think about an example of implementing a new initiative on the unit and it’s evidence based and we’re sure it’s going to work and we work really hard at it as a team and we get engagement and the staff is excited and I’m excited and all that really makes me happy. Even if we don’t get the outcome we’re expecting’.
Barriers to fulfilment described by this group of Nurse Managers included the schedule required of them. One participant stated:
‘The one thing, and I’ve been doing this job, oh, gosh, six and a half years – that I’ve never really gotten over is taking calls and having that expectation to drop everything and have to come to work’.