Moderating roles of psychological capital between core competency and work engagement among specialist nurses

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the current status and influencing factors of work engagement among specialist nurses，and to examine the moderating role of psychological capital in the relationship between their core competency and work engagement. Methods A cluster sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey among 243 specialist nurses from four grade-A tertiary general hospitals in Foshan City from March to April 2025，assessing their core competency，psychological capital，and work engagement. SPSS 27.0 was used for data analysis. Results The total scores for core competency，psychological capital，and work engagement were （153.84±29.71），（95.60±26.71），and （42.01±8.80）points，respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that there were significant positive correlations between the core competencies of specialist nurses and their psychological capital and work engagement（r=0.331，0.457，both P<0.01）. The moderation effect analysis indicated that the moderating role of psychological capital was significant（β=0.263，P<0.05），suggesting that a higher level of psychological capital strengthened the positive predictive effect of core competency on work engagement. Simple slope analysis showed that the impact of core competency on work engagement was statistically significant at both high and low levels of psychological capital（β_low=0.656，β_high=1.219，both P<0.05）. The Johnson-Neyman method further identified the boundary value for this moderating effect as -2.306 6. Conclusion The work engagement of specialized nurses is at a moderate to high level，and psychological capital plays a positive moderating role between core competency and work engagement among specialist nurses. Nursing managers can enhance the promoting effect of core competency on work engagement by implementing psychological capital intervention programs，thereby improving the quality of nursing care.

Key words: Grade-A tertiary general hospitals, Specialist nurses, Core competency, Psychological capital, Work engagement, Moderating effect

CLC Number:

R181.3⁺1

WANG Rui, WANG Mingzhu, CEN Jiayi, OU Jiefen, GAO Limei. Moderating roles of psychological capital between core competency and work engagement among specialist nurses. [J]OCCUPATION AND HEALTH, 2026, 42(20): 2846-2851.

Figures/Tables 9

References 32

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条目	维度	条目数	总分量表均分	均分
核心能力	批判性思维	8	2.80±0.54	2.69±0.56
	临床专业能力	8		2.84±0.56
	领导能力	10		2.83±0.60
	人际关系	8		2.79±0.58
	法律意识	7		2.85±0.61
	专业发展	7		2.79±0.59
	教育咨询	7		2.78±0.59
心理资本	效能	6	3.98±1.11	4.11±1.16
	希望	6		4.07±1.19
	韧性	6		3.86±1.16
	乐观	6		3.89±1.10
工作投入	活力	3	4.67±0.98	4.96±1.07
	奉献	3		4.32±1.13
	专注	3		4.73±1.06

条目	维度	条目数	总分量表均分	均分
核心能力	批判性思维	8	2.80±0.54	2.69±0.56
	临床专业能力	8		2.84±0.56
	领导能力	10		2.83±0.60
	人际关系	8		2.79±0.58
	法律意识	7		2.85±0.61
	专业发展	7		2.79±0.59
	教育咨询	7		2.78±0.59
心理资本	效能	6	3.98±1.11	4.11±1.16
	希望	6		4.07±1.19
	韧性	6		3.86±1.16
	乐观	6		3.89±1.10
工作投入	活力	3	4.67±0.98	4.96±1.07
	奉献	3		4.32±1.13
	专注	3		4.73±1.06

项目	人数 [人（%）]	工作投入（$\bar{x}±s$）	t/F值	P值
性别			1.696^a	0.092
男	6（2.47）	5.33±0.96
女	237（97.53）	4.65±0.97
年龄（岁）			4.760^b	<0.001
21~<31	15（6.17）	4.35±0.95
31~<41	149（61.32）	4.53±0.95
41~<51	74（30.45）	4.97±0.98
≥51	5（2.06）	5.31±0.70
初始学历			2.720^b	0.068
中专	53（21.81）	4.64±1.03
大专	98（40.33）	4.52±0.95
本科	92（37.86）	4.84±0.96
最高学历			0.313^a	0.538
大专	8（3.29）	3.62±1.16
本科及以上	235（96.71）	3.73±0.97
职称			8.476^b	<0.001
护师	25（10.29）	4.44±0.98
主管护师	152（62.55）	4.50±0.97
副主任护师	58（23.87）	5.20±0.87
主任护师	8（3.29）	4.82±0.52
工作年限（年）			7.519^b	<0.001
1~<11	33（13.58）	4.42±0.91
11~<16	103（42.39）	4.47±0.93
≥16	107（44.03）	4.93±0.99
取得专科护士资格（结业或毕业证）年限（年）			1.487^b	0.207
1~<1	40（16.46）	4.53±0.93
1~<6	126（51.85）	4.59±1.02
6~<11	53（21.81）	4.92±0.96
11~<16	17（7.00）	4.71±0.83
≥16	7（2.88）	4.92±0.82
合计	243（100.00）	4.67±0.98

项目	人数 [人（%）]	工作投入（$\bar{x}±s$）	t/F值	P值
性别			1.696^a	0.092
男	6（2.47）	5.33±0.96
女	237（97.53）	4.65±0.97
年龄（岁）			4.760^b	<0.001
21~<31	15（6.17）	4.35±0.95
31~<41	149（61.32）	4.53±0.95
41~<51	74（30.45）	4.97±0.98
≥51	5（2.06）	5.31±0.70
初始学历			2.720^b	0.068
中专	53（21.81）	4.64±1.03
大专	98（40.33）	4.52±0.95
本科	92（37.86）	4.84±0.96
最高学历			0.313^a	0.538
大专	8（3.29）	3.62±1.16
本科及以上	235（96.71）	3.73±0.97
职称			8.476^b	<0.001
护师	25（10.29）	4.44±0.98
主管护师	152（62.55）	4.50±0.97
副主任护师	58（23.87）	5.20±0.87
主任护师	8（3.29）	4.82±0.52
工作年限（年）			7.519^b	<0.001
1~<11	33（13.58）	4.42±0.91
11~<16	103（42.39）	4.47±0.93
≥16	107（44.03）	4.93±0.99
取得专科护士资格（结业或毕业证）年限（年）			1.487^b	0.207
1~<1	40（16.46）	4.53±0.93
1~<6	126（51.85）	4.59±1.02
6~<11	53（21.81）	4.92±0.96
11~<16	17（7.00）	4.71±0.83
≥16	7（2.88）	4.92±0.82
合计	243（100.00）	4.67±0.98

变量	核心能力	心理资本	工作投入
核心能力	1.000
心理资本	0.331^a	1.000
工作投入	0.457^a	0.030^b	1.000