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Aims: To describe nurse managers' perceptions of nurses' professional autonomy in hospitals and their role in promoting it. Design: A qualitative descriptive approach. Methods: Fifteen nurse managers participated in semi‐structured focus group interviews in two university hospitals in Finland between May and June 2022. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results: Nurses' professional autonomy in hospitals is perceived according to three themes: individual qualities behind independent actions, limited influencing opportunities in the organization and physicians' central effect. The nurse managers perceive that they enhance nurses' professional autonomy by promoting the nurses' independence at work, their sufficient and up‐to‐date competence, their expert role in multi‐professional cooperation and joint decision‐making and an open and appreciative work community. Conclusions: Nurse managers can enhance nurses' professional autonomy with shared leadership. However, there are still gaps in nurses' equal possibilities to influence multi‐professional work, especially outside of patient care. Promoting their autonomy requires commitment and support from leadership at all levels of the organization. The results advise nurse managers and the administration of the organization to maximize the potential of nurses' expertise, along with encouraging nurses towards self‐leadership. Impact: This study provides an innovative approach to nurses' roles through their professional autonomy from the perspective of nurse managers. These managers have an important role in enhancing nurses' professional autonomy, empowering and supporting them in their expertise, enabling necessary advanced training, and maintaining an appreciative work community where all have equal participation opportunities. Thus, nurse managers have the opportunity to strengthen high‐quality multi‐professional teams' ability to jointly develop the patient's care for better outcomes through their leadership. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Design Method Results Conclusion Clinical relevance The uptake of research evidence on staffing issues in nursing by nursing leadership, management and into organizational policies seems to vary across Europe. This study wants to assess this uptake of research evidence.Scoping survey.The presidents of twelve country specific Sigma Chapters within the European Region answered written survey questions about work organisation, national staffing levels, national skill mix levels, staff characteristics, and education.Seven of the 12 chapters could not return complete data, reported that data was unavailable, there was no national policy or only guidance related to some settings.Enhancing the awareness of nursing research and of nursing leaders and managers regarding staffing level evidence is not enough. It seems necessary to encourage nurse leaders to lobby for staffing policies.Research evidence on staffing issues in nursing and how it benefits health care is available. In Europe this evidence should be used more to lobby for change in staffing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]