Global Bibliometric Mapping of Nurses’ Working Environment from 1997 to 2024

Background: Interest in exploring and improving nurses’ work environments has increased globally. Nevertheless, a comprehensive evaluation of the research, concepts, and trends in this field is lacking. Objective: To examine the patterns, characteristics, trends, and development of studies conducted to date on nurses’ working environment. Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis. The data obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) database on March 28, 2024, was analyzed bibliometrically. The keywords “nurse work environment”, “nurse workplaces”, and” nurse work setting” were used; articles published between 1997-2024 were included. Data analysis was performed using VOSviewer and MS Excel. Results: A total of 1218 authors from 617 institutions across 47 countries and 67 journals contributed to articles on nurses’ working environment during the years included in the analysis; 835 keywords were used. The authors who contributed the most documents and have a wide network of connections are Aiken and Patrician, while the most cited author is Laschinger. Although the University of Pennsylvania has the highest number of publications and the widest network, the University of Western Ontario is the institution with the most citations. The USA ranked first among countries with 173 publications and a total link strength of 28. The keyword with the highest total link strength and the most frequently used keyword was work environment. The prominent journals are International Journal of Nursing Studies, Journal of Nursing Management, and Nursing Research. Discussion: Since the 2000s, studies on the working environment of nurses have increased. While many researchers have contributed to this topic, advancements in sustainability have been limited following the initial publications. This analysis provides a reference for nurses, nurse managers, researchers, and policymakers to recognize and disseminate developments and trends related to nurses’ working environment by summarizing the trends of macro-level studies on the working environment. By clarifying the global situation, all stakeholders interested in and committed to the issue can establish new collaborations.