Association of Burnout With Missed Nursing Care Among Neuro‐Oncology Nurses: The Mediating Role of Professional Identity and the Moderating Role of Psychological Capital

AIM: The aims of this study were to examine whether professional identity mediates the association between burnout and missed nursing care (MNC), and to test whether psychological capital moderates this mediation model. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: The Oncology Missed Nursing Care Self-rating Scale (OMNCS), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Professional Identification Scale (PIS) and Psychological Capital Scale (PCS) were used to assess 446 neuro-oncology nurses from 10 Grade A oncology hospitals in six Chinese provinces between April and June 2024. Mediation and moderated mediation models were constructed using structural equation modelling. RESULTS: /df = 4.8). CONCLUSION: The direct correlation between burnout and heightened risk of MNC was evident, with burnout also exhibiting an indirect connection to MNC through the enhancement of professional identity in neuro-oncology nurses. Psychological capital was identified as a potential moderator in offsetting the mediating impact of professional identity and in regulating the association between burnout and MNC. Future intervention strategies aimed at mitigating MNC among neuro-oncology nurses experiencing burnout may benefit from enhancing professional identity and psychological capital. Such approaches could potentially improve care quality and patient outcomes. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public involvement occurred in the design, conduct, or reporting of this study. The study participants were neuro-oncology nurses, and the research focused on their experiences and perceptions.