Background

The work-related empowerment of nurses is essential for enhancing person-centered care and climate. However, research on more complex relationships that consider mediation remains sparse.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nurse-rated structural empowerment and a person-centered climate, as well as the mediating role of nurse professional competence.DesignA cross-sectional survey study.

Settings and Participants

This study was conducted among 2172 nurses, at three general hospitals in China, between April 2023 and October 2023.

Methods

The Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire, which measured structural empowerment, the Nurse Professional Competence Scale, and the Person-Centered Climate Questionnaire-Staff Version were employed to collect data. The PROCESS macro (Model 4) and bootstrapping tests were used to examine the relationships and mediation effects.

Results

The results showed that nurse-rated structural empowerment was significantly positively related to the person-centered climate and professional competence of nurses. Nurse professional competence, in turn, was significantly positively related to person-centered climate. Furthermore, the nurse professional competence significantly mediated the relationship between structural empowerment and a person-centered climate. The model explained 49.9% of the variance in person-centered climates.

Conclusions

Structural empowerment and nurses professional competence are both essential for fostering a person-centered climate in hospital wards. Professional competence mediates the relationship between structural empowerment and a person-centered climate.