The Influence of Psychological Capital on Innovative Behavior: Examining the Mediating Mechanism of Job Crafting in Operating Room Nurses

AIM: This study aimed to assess the levels of psychological capital, job crafting, and innovative behavior among operating room nurses and to examine the mediating mechanism of job crafting in the relationship between psychological capital and innovative behavior. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted. In June 2025, a total of 361 operating room nurses from six tertiary hospitals in Nanjing, China, were recruited via convenience sampling. Data were collected electronically using validated scales: Demographic Questionnaire, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Job Crafting Scale, and the Nurse Innovative Behavior Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 28.0. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping tested the mediation model, controlling for educational level and specialist nurse status. RESULTS: Participants reported moderate-to-high levels of psychological capital, job crafting, and innovative behavior. Correlation analysis revealed that innovative behavior was significantly and positively correlated with both psychological capital and job crafting. Hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for significant covariates, showed that both psychological capital and job crafting contributed significantly to the variance in innovative behavior. Mediation analysis demonstrated that job crafting partially mediated the relationship between psychological capital and innovative behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Operating room nurses reported moderately high levels of psychological capital, job crafting, and innovative behavior. Furthermore, job crafting was identified as a significant partial mediator in the relationship between psychological capital and innovative behavior. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing management can foster innovation in operating room nurses by developing psychological capital and job crafting skills through targeted training and academic support.