Exploring the relationship between humanistic care efficacy and narrative nursing knowledge, attitude, and practice among nurses in a single tertiary hospital

Abstract Background Humanistic care efficacy is central to nursing practice, while narrative nursing may support the delivery of person-centred care. However, the associations between narrative nursing knowledge, attitude, and practice and nurses’ humanistic care efficacy remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the levels of humanistic care efficacy and narrative nursing knowledge, attitude and practice among nurses and to examine the associations between them, thereby providing evidence to inform the development of strategies for clinical humanistic care practice. Methods A cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling was conducted among 411 clinical nurses from a tertiary hospital in China between September and October 2024. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Humanistic Care Efficacy Scale, and the Narrative Nursing Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Questionnaire. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between humanistic care efficacy and narrative nursing knowledge, attitude, and practice. Results A total of 414 questionnaires were collected, of which 411 were valid, yielding a valid questionnaire rate of 99.28%. The mean total score of the Humanistic Care Efficacy Scale was 119.37 ± 18.98, while the mean total score of the Narrative Nursing Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire was 88.15 ± 12.80. The mean scores for the knowledge, attitude, and practice dimensions were 24.31 ± 5.11, 32.71 ± 5.14, and 31.13 ± 5.12, respectively. Humanistic care efficacy was positively correlated with the total score and the knowledge, attitude, and practice dimensions of narrative nursing ( r = 0.416, P < 0.001; r = 0.260, P < 0.001; r = 0.411, P < 0.001; r = 0.368, P < 0.001). There were statistically significant differences in humanistic care efficacy scores among nurses according to gender, age, marital status, working years, professional title, position, personality type, job satisfaction, life satisfaction and parental status ( P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the total scores of narrative nursing knowledge, attitude and practice among nurses according to personality type, job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and position ( P < 0.05). Although narrative nursing knowledge was significantly correlated with humanistic care efficacy, it was not independently associated with humanistic care efficacy in the adjusted model. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that female, extroverted personality, narrative nursing attitude, and narrative nursing practice were significantly associated with nurses’ humanistic care efficacy( P < 0.01). Conclusion Nurses’ humanistic care efficacy and narrative nursing knowledge, attitude, and practice showed room for further improvement. Targeted training strategies may be tailored to nurses’ individual and professional characteristics. In addition, hospitals may consider fostering a narrative nursing culture to support the implementation of humanistic care in clinical practice.