The Impact of Caring Leadership on Nurse Caring Behaviours: A Moderated Mediation Model
Siping Tang, Liangrong Geng, Chenping Zhu, Xiaoxia Wang, Hongying PanABSTRACT
Aim
This study aims to examine the impact of caring leadership on nurse caring behaviours, while testing the mediating role of general self‐efficacy and the moderating role of emotional intelligence.
Design
A cross‐sectional study.
Methods
A total of 517 clinical nurses from China were recruited. The Caring Assessment Tool–Administration, the General Self‐Efficacy Scale, the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, and the Caring Behaviors Inventory were used for data collection. Data were analysed using SPSS 26.0, including correlation analysis and moderated mediation analysis based on Model 4 and Model 5 of the PROCESS macro.
Results
Nurse caring behaviours were positively correlated with caring leadership, general self‐efficacy, and emotional intelligence ( r = 0.435, 0.511, and 0.639, respectively; all p < 0.001). Caring leadership was also positively correlated with general self‐efficacy ( r = 0.295, p < 0.001). General self‐efficacy partially mediated the relationship between caring leadership and nurse caring behaviours, with an indirect effect value of 0.088, accounting for 27.1% of the total effect. Additionally, emotional intelligence significantly moderated the relationship between caring leadership and nurse caring behaviours ( β = 0.005, p = 0.009).
Conclusion
Caring leadership promotes nurse caring behaviours both directly and indirectly through general self‐efficacy, and this effect is stronger among nurses with higher emotional intelligence. Healthcare institutions should therefore invest in developing caring leadership and in strengthening nurses' self‐efficacy and emotional intelligence to sustain high‐quality caring behaviours.
Patient or Public Contribution
No patient or public contribution was involved in the design, conduct, analysis, or preparation of this study, as it focused solely on the professional perceptions of clinical nurses.