Nurses’ creativity in the Vietnamese public hospitals: The role of responsible leadership and trust in leader

This study investigates the nexus between Responsible Leadership (RL) and Employee Creativity (EC) in the Vietnamese public healthcare sector, examining the mediating role of Affective Organisational Commitment (AOC) and the moderating effect of trust in a leader (TRU). Based on Exchange Theory (SET), the research employs a questionnaire survey, collecting data from 234 nurses chosen through a quota sampling approach in public hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) results show a significant relationship between RL and EC. More importantly, findings reveal a significant association between RL and AOC, which subsequently enhances the EC of nurses. Furthermore, we found a stronger positive relationship between RL and EC when nurses showed higher levels of TRU. These insights offer valuable theoretical contributions to understanding RL’s influence in the healthcare sector and practical implications for enhancing EC through effective RL styles. As a result, healthcare organizations ought to develop a set of values that emphasize social responsibility and encourage hospital leaders to be strong advocates for it.