Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate nurses' level of political participation and their perception of political efficacy.
Methodology: This is a descriptive study. A self-completed questionnaire survey was conducted. Some items in the adopted questionnaire were modified to suit the Hong Kong situation.
Samples: A convenience sample was used. Three hundred and fifty registered nurses that were studying nursing degree programmes in the three universities in Hong Kong were invited to participate in the study.
Findings: Three hundred and eleven registered nurses completed the questionnaire. The findings showed that there were some positive signs of both political awareness and participation in nurses. However, political activities were mainly confined to voting in general elections. Attempts to influence politicians were not evident. Subjects generally have low political efficacy, and they did not feel that nurses had the power to influence the government's policy. The results of this study are discussed in terms of the barriers to nurses' political participation and the recommendations for nursing professional development.