The Effect of Nurse Clinical Educators' Coaching Leadership on Nursing Performance among Novice and Advanced Beginner Nurses:The Mediating Effect of Grit
10.22650/JKCNR.2026.32.1.54
- Author:
Jae Young LEE
1
;
Nam Yi KIM
Author Information
1. College of Nursing, Konyang University
- From:
Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
2026;32(1):54-62
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Purpose:This study aimed to examine the effect of nurse clinical educators’ coaching leadership on the nursing performance of novice and advanced beginner nurses, and to verify the mediating role of grit in this relationship.
Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 142 nurses with less than 36 months of clinical experience at three general hospitals in D city, South Korea. Data were collected from June 20 to July 5, 2025, using self-reported online questionnaires measuring coaching leadership, grit, and nursing performance. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and a mediation analysis using PROCESS macro Model 4.
Results:Coaching leadership was positively associated with both grit and nursing performance. Grit was also positively correlated (r=.71, p<.001) with nursing performance and was found to partially mediate (β=.30, 95% CI=0.20, 0.41) the relationship between coaching leadership and nursing performance. The findings indicate that coaching leadership not only directly enhances nursing performance but also indirectly improves it by increasing the nurses’ grit.
Conclusion:Nurse clinical educators’ coaching leadership directly and indirectly enhanced the nursing performance of novice and advanced beginner nurses through the mediation of grit. Strengthening the coaching leadership competencies of nurse clinical educators and implementing educational programs that foster grit among early-career nurses may optimize nursing performance.
