The Relationship Between Clinical Nurses' Perceptions of the Power Used by Nursing Managers and Professional Silence Behaviors: An Example From Türkiye.

backgroundThe power that nurse managers exercise significantly determines the extent to which clinical nurses can voice their opinions and communicate effectively within the organization.

aimThis study aimed to examine the relationships between clinical nurses' perceptions of nurse managers' use of power and nurses' professional silence.

methodThis cross-sectional study was conducted with 292 clinical nurses from July 25, 2024, to February 17, 2025. Data were collected using a personal information form (comprising the Nurse Manager Perception Questionnaire [NMPQ] in its second section), the Employee Silence Behavior Scale, and the Perceived Power in Nurse Managers Scale. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson correlation analysis.

resultsThe findings revealed that single nurses and those without children perceived nurse managers' power differently. Clinical nurses who believed that their nurse managers met expectations, communicated effectively, and adopted a team-oriented approach had significantly higher perceptions of "charismatic power," "reward power," "legitimate power," and "expert power" (p < 0.05). Conversely, perceptions of coercive power were higher among clinical nurses who could not communicate effectively with their managers and who did not believe their managers influenced their working conditions (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between clinical nurses' silence and their perception of nurse managers' coercive power (p < 0.05).

conclusionThe study concluded that as clinical nurses' perception of nurse managers' coercive power increased, their professional silence also increased. Conversely, effective communication, meeting expectations, and a team-oriented approach enhanced their perceptions of nurse managers' charismatic, expert, legitimate, and reward power. These findings suggest that how nurse managers use power decisively influences the communication and silence behaviors of clinical nurses. Therefore, organizational and managerial strategies aimed at reducing clinical nurses' silence are essential for ensuring a safe working environment and delivering quality nursing care.