e nursing profession is currently experiencing a severe shortage and managers are looking for ways to attract and retain nurses. However, after a decade of downsizing, there is prevailing lack of trust among nurses and a perceived lack of respect for their work. This threatens recruitment and retention initiatives. Kanter (1977) argues that social structures within work environments that provide employees access to information, support, resources, job flexibility, strong alliances and development opportunities are empowering resulting in increased motivation, trust, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. This study tested Kanter¿s theory of organizational empowerment by examining relationships among structural empowerment, interactional justice, respect, trust in management, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. A predictive, non-experimental survey design was used to test the model in a random sample of 273 staff nurses. Nurses responded to measures of empowerment, interactional justice, respect, trust in management, job satisfaction and organizational commitment and returned them to the investigators by regular mail. Path analysis techniques revealed a good fit of the model (Chi square =27.79, df =5, CFI = .96, IFI = .961, RMSEA = .14), providing support for Kanter¿s theory. Higher levels of structural empowerment influenced staff nurses¿ perceptions of interactional justice, respect, and trust in management, which, ultimately, influenced their levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The results suggest that empowering management practices that foster fairness, respect for employees, and trust in management are important determinants of nurses¿ job satisfaction and commitment and maybe effective recruitment and retention strategies for nursing management.