The influence of education and personality on risk propensity in nurse managers.

The current healthcare environment is demanding innovation. Nurse managers are positioned strategically to creatively change and innovate the patient care delivery process, if they are willing to take risks. The authors discuss a study that tests whether a nurse manager's education, years of experience, and personality are related to their propensity to take risks in administrative decision making. Results of the study indicate that nurse managers who achieved at least a bachelors degree, had higher autonomy orientations, and had lower control orientations were more likely to choose higher risk options in nursing administrative decisions. The authors found that self-esteem and years of experience were not related to nurse manager risk propensity.