| Objective To explore the mediating effect of pain management self-efficacy between psychological capital and cancer pain management competency among oncology nurses, and to provide reference for nursing management. Methods Based on a convenience sampling method and with the support of the Anhui Cancer Pain Nursing Specialist Alliance, a total of 391 oncology nurses from 48 hospitals in Anhui province were selected as study participants between August and September 2025. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Pain Management Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and the Cancer Pain Management Competency Scale. Spearman correlation analysis was used to test the relationships among pain management self-efficacy, psychological capital, and cancer pain management competency. Structural equation modeling was constructed using AMOS 26.0 software, and the Bootstrap method was employed to test the mediating effect. Results The median scores for psychological capital, pain management self-efficacy, and cancer pain management competency were 78.00 (69.00, 88.00), 80.00 (70.00, 91.00), and 43.00 (36.00, 49.00), respectively. Psychological capital, pain management self-efficacy, and cancer pain management competency were all significantly positively correlated with each other (r = 0.570~ 0.702, all P<0.01). Pain management self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between psychological capital and cancer pain management competency, accounting for 57.69% of the total effect. Conclusion Pain management self-efficacy serves as a mediator between psychological capital and cancer pain management competency in oncology nurses. Nursing administrators should prioritize fostering psychological capital and enhancing professional confidence to improve cancer pain management capacity and overall care quality. |
