Effects of organizational agility on readiness for change in nurses: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the correlation between organizational agility and nurses' readiness for change.

Background: The paradigm of agility in a healthcare organization is a novel concept that embodies the most advantageous organizational status. However, assessing the effects of organizational agility on nurses' readiness for change has not been previously studied.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 270 nurses working in a university hospital in Egypt. The study took place between January - March 2022, and participation was voluntary. Data were collected using the organizational agility scale and individual readiness for change scales. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and structured equation modeling (SEM).

Results: The results indicated that nurses in the hospital exhibited a moderate level of agility. Nurses' readiness for change is high. The SEM showed that organizational agility accounted for 64% of the variance in nurses' readiness for change.

Conclusions: Organizational agility is a significant predictor of nurses' readiness for change.

Implications for nursing policymaking: As a means of ensuring that nurses are prepared for changes, nursing institutions should foster agility by instilling a vision for the future, enhancing staff capabilities, encouraging teamwork and open communication, and implementing total quality management, strategic planning, advanced nursing practice, participatory management, shared decision-making, and policy development.

Keywords: nurses; organizational agility; readiness for change; structured equation modeling.