Career Growth in nursing: A scoping review of nurses’ opportunities, organisational strategies, perceptions, and workforce outcomes

Abstract

Objective.To map the most recent literature on how organisational career growth opportunities support nursing workforce development, including nurses’ perceptions about career growth and its related outcomes. Methods.A comprehensive Scoping Review conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and reported according to PRISMA-ScR. This review was prospectively registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) before running the final search. The terms from which the search strategy was developed were: “Nursing Staff”, “Career Growth”, and “Healthcare Organisations”. The tailored search strategy was applied in April 2024. Two researchers screened titles and abstracts and retrieved the sources for analysis. Four electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, SciELO, and ProQuest dissertations) plus five organisational websites for grey and unpublished literature.Results.Of the 4746 articles identified from 2009 to 2024, 70 sources of information met the inclusion criteria. Three dimensions of career growth were identified: ‘Career goal progress’, ‘Professional ability development’, and ‘Rewards’. Conclusion.Diverse and well-structured opportunities are crucial for supporting the nursing workforce, particularly in terms of the outcomes associated with career growth, such as job satisfaction and intention to stay. The opportunities for career growth identifiedin this review offer a structured foundation for nurse managers to support nurses’ professional pathways. This approach can serve as a starting point for developing meaningful career pathways, contributing to workforce sustainability and long-term retention.