BackgroundThe knowledge surrounding nurses' work motivation is currently insufficient, and previous studies have rarely taken into account the role of many influential background factors.AimThis study investigates the motivation of Estonian nurses in hospitals, and how individual and organisational background factors influence their motivation to work.MethodsThe study is quantitative and cross‐sectional. An electronically self‐reported questionnaire was used for data collection. The sample comprised of 201 Registered Nurses working in various hospital settings in Estonia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, two‐sample Wilcoxon rank‐sum (Mann–Whitney) test, Kruskal–Wallis equality‐of‐populations rank test and Spearman's correlation.ResultsBoth extrinsic and intrinsic motivations were noted among hospital nurses. Nurses were moderately externally motivated (M = 3.63, SD = 0.89) and intrinsically strongly motivated (M = 4.98, SD = 1.03). A nurses' age and the duration of service were positively correlated with one particular area of extrinsic work motivation, namely introjected regulation (p < 0.001). Nurses who had professional training over 7 days per year had both a higher extrinsic motivation (p = 0.016) and intrinsic work motivation (p = 0.004).ConclusionsThe findings expand current knowledge of nurses' work motivation by describing the amount and orientation of work motivation among hospital nurses and highlighting background factors which should be taken into account in order to sustain and increase their intrinsic work motivation. The instrument used in the study can be an effective tool for nurse managers to determine a nurse's reasons to work and to choose a proper motivational strategy. Further research and testing of the instrument in different countries and in different contexts of nursing is however required.