Fueling nurse engagement and performance through psychological capital in Ghanaian teaching hospitals

This study investigates the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between psychological capital and job performance of nurses in the Ghanaian Teaching Hospital. Grounded in the Job Demands Resources theory, the study employed a quantitative, explanatory research design. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 410 nurses drawn from a population of 3100. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling version 4.1.1. The findings revealed that among the dimensions of psychological capital, only optimism and resilience had significant direct effects on job performance. Additionally, work engagement emerged as a significant positive predictor of job performance. The analysis further showed that work engagement fully mediated the relationships between hope and job performance, while it partially mediated the effects of optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience. This study contributes to the literature by offering one of the few empirical examinations of how psychological capital drives job performance through work engagement within a frontline healthcare context in Ghana.