Creativity in the Nursing Profession: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Support in Relation to Emotional Demands

The contemporary work environment in healthcare is characterized by high demands and emotional strain, wich affect both performance and the creativity of nurses. Promoting creativity is considered a crucial factor for the efficiency of healthcare structures and the well-being of nurse staff. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between job demands and specifically emotional demands, self-efficacy, support and creativity in nurses. The sample of the present research consisted of 132 nurses from hospitals, clinics as well as healthcare centers in Northern Greece, who completed questionnaires measuring creativity, self-efficacy, support, and emotional demands. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression analyses to evaluate the main effects and the interactions. Results indicated that self-efficacy and organizational support were positively related to creativity. On the other hand, emotional demands had a negative effect. Furthermore, the presence of high levels of personal and organizational resources strengthened the relationship between demands and creativity, enabling nurses to effectively cope with work challenges and =generate innovative solutions. In conclusion, promoting creativity in healthcare professionals requires enhancing both personal resources, such as self-efficacy, and organizational resources, such as support from the organization, thereby improving performance and employee well-being.

Keywords: creativity, self-efficacy, social support, emotional demands, Nurses