What Really Motivates Iranian Nurses to Be Creative in Clinical Settings?: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Creativity and innovation are key elements for organization improvement, particularly in nursing, and for finding alternatives for solving nurses’ occupational problems. Nurses’ creativity is affected by motivation. Although, there are many possible sources of motivation, the Iranian nurses’ creativity is seldom clarified, and the most important factors motivating nurses to be creative in clinical settings has rarely been addressed. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore Iranian nurses’ experiences regarding the most important factors that motivate their creativity in clinical settings. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis approach. A purposive sample of sixteen nurses was recruited from two educational hospitals affiliated to Tehran and Jahrom Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. Data were gathered through conducting face-to-face semi-structured interviews and were analyzed by qualitative content analysis approach. FINDINGS: Five main themes emerged from the data analysis, including: (a) Intrinsic motivators, (b) Extrinsic motivators, (c) Achievement motivators, (d) Relational or altruistic motivators, and (e) Spiritual motivators. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicated that nurses are creative and innovative individuals. So nurse managers and health policy makers should consider creativity as an integral part of all health and clinical strategies and policies. They should support creative and innovative efforts of nurses and provide a climate in which nurses engage in more creative and productive behaviors.