The mediating role of perceived stress between the job demand-control-support model and occupational fatigue among operating room nurses: a multi-Center cross-sectional study

Objective Operating room nurses work long-term in high-intensity, high-risk environments and suffer from a high prevalence of occupational fatigue, which seriously affects their physical and mental health as well as patient safety. Based on the Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) model, this study aimed to examine the mediating role of perceived stress between the dimensions of the JDCS model and occupational fatigue—including acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, and inter-shift recovery—among operating room nurses. Methods This multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted from August to September 2026, enrolling 1,122 operating room nurses from 9 tertiary Grade-A hospitals in eastern, central, and western China. A general information questionnaire, the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) were administered. SPSS 25.0 was used for descriptive statistics, difference analysis, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression; AMOS 21.0 was used to construct a structural equation model, and the bias-corrected Bootstrap method was employed to test mediating effects. Results The scores of acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, and inter-shift recovery among operating room nurses were 45.55 ± 18.77, 44.13 ± 17.89, and 56.27 ± 17.83, respectively, indicating an overall moderate level of occupational fatigue. The perceived stress score was 21.01 ± 5.24; job demand was 36.44 ± 4.80; job control was 71.54 ± 18.07; and social support was 24.02 ± 6.61. Hierarchical regression showed that, after controlling for demographic and work characteristics, job demand, job control, and social support remained independent correlates of all three outcomes (acute fatigue model R 2 = 0.460, chronic fatigue R 2 = 0.305, inter-shift recovery R 2 = 0.353). The structural equation model showed that job demand positively predicted perceived stress ( β = 0.182, p < 0.001), while job control ( β = −0.251, p = 0.033) and social support ( β = −0.168, p = 0.040) negatively predicted perceived stress. Perceived stress positively predicted acute fatigue ( β = 0.336, p < 0.001) and chronic fatigue ( β = 0.209, p < 0.001), and negatively predicted inter-shift recovery ( β = −0.134, p = 0.029). Bootstrap tests indicated that perceived stress played a significant partial mediating role between job demand, job control, and social support and the outcomes of acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, and inter-shift recovery, although the indirect effects were small in magnitude (proportion mediated 3.41–17.35%). Conclusion Occupational fatigue among operating room nurses in 9 tertiary Grade-A hospitals is at a moderate level, and inter-shift recovery needs improvement. Perceived stress acted as a mediating variable linking JDCS dimensions to occupational fatigue, although the mediating effects were modest in magnitude. Nursing managers can improve occupational fatigue and recovery among operating room nurses by reducing unreasonable job demands, enhancing job control, strengthening social support, and alleviating perceived stress.