Measured nursing perception of the working environment through authentic leadership with technology support and OCB among Chinese public hospitals

Nursing is a comprehensive discipline that applies principles from the natural and social sciences to diagnose and address existing or potential health problems and their responses. The morale and productivity of nurses are essential for providing quality healthcare services in busy and high-stress environments. However, nurses' perceptions of the hospital working environment (PHWE) can hinder these goals. This study examines the role of nursing authentic leadership (NAL) in mitigating perceptions of the hospital working environment and its subsequent effects on nurses' organizational citizenship behaviors as organizational and individuals (NOCBO&I), nurses' technological support (NTS), and nurses' task-oriented performance (NTP) among hospital employees. The research involved 557 nurses from public sector hospitals in Shandong Province, China. Data was collected between August and November 2024 and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that perceptions of the hospital working environment significantly affect nurses' technological support, nurses' organizational citizenship behaviors (NOCBO&I), and task-oriented performance. Additionally, authentic leadership is significantly correlated with perceptions of the hospital working environment, positively influencing technological support, task-oriented performance, and NOCBO&I. This study underscores the vital role of authentic leadership in moderating the profound impacts of the working environment, fostering a positive atmosphere in hospitals, and enhancing nurse productivity with the support of technology. The insights gained from this research provide valuable implications for nurse leaders seeking to improve hospital performance through effective leadership practices.