Exploring Work Engagement Among Nurses: Insights from a Bibliometric Analysis of Global Literature

Abstract

This study offers a thorough bibliometric analysis of international research about nursing professionals' work engagement from 2004 to 2024, utilising a sample of 494 peer-reviewed journal articles sourced from the Scopus database. In order to clarify underlying ideas, emerging themes, and important contributors, the study examines performance metrics, scientific mapping, co-citation frameworks, bibliographic coupling, and co-word interactions using analytical tools like Bibliometrix and VOS viewer. The findings reveal a noteworthy average citation rate per document (30.1), a significant yearly growth rate of 20.18%, and a propensity towards collaborative authoring with an average of 4.13 co-authors per piece. With significant contributions from institutions like Peking University and Erasmus University Rotterdam, the study is mostly focused in the US, China, and the Netherlands. Central thematic areas in the literature include burnout, job satisfaction, authenticity in leadership, and employee engagement dynamics The thematic trajectory indicates a transition from individual-centric psychological constructs to broader systemic and institutional determinants. With implications for the creation of policies, leadership techniques, and workforce development within healthcare systems, this bibliometric analysis offers crucial insights into the conceptual framework and worldwide progress of research on nurse job engagement.