AIM: Emergency nurses face tough occupational challenges and substantial emotional burdens, which can impact their job performance. Caring behavior and communication are essential components of patient-centered care, but their role in the relationship between emotional labor and job performance is unclear. This study aimed to explore the mediating role of caring ability and communication competency on emotional labor and job performance. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 210 emergency nurses was conducted at eight city tertiary hospitals in central, eastern, and southwestern China from November 2023 to January 2024. Potential participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. The study variables, including emotional labor, caring ability, communication competency, and job performance, were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Path analysis using a multiple mediation model was performed using AMOS 28.0. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the mean score of emergency nurses' job performance score was 4.53 ± 0.52. Caring ability and communication competence partially mediated the relationship between deep acting and job performance, with effect sizes of 0.022 and 0.100, respectively. The chain-mediating effect of caring ability and communication competence was 0.071. CONCLUSION: Emotional labor did not directly influence job performance. The emotional management strategy of deep acting was the sole approach that indirectly influenced job performance via the complete mediating role of caring ability and communication competence. Emergency nurses utilizing deep acting tactics can more easily identify and regulate their emotions, exhibit greater empathy, treat patients sincerely, communicate effectively, and improve job performance. IMPACT: Nursing managers and educators should attach importance to the emotional labor of emergency nurses, particularly cultivating and fostering deep acting, and take measures to strengthen communication skills and caring education to improve job performance and provide better nursing services for patients. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.
Feng et al. (Thu,) studied this question.