Assessing the relationship between supervisor knowledge sharing and innovative behaviors among clinical nurses: the mediating role of organizational learning

In today's rapidly evolving healthcare environment, nurses' innovative behaviors are crucial for improving patient care quality and organizational effectiveness. While supervisor knowledge-sharing behavior has been identified as a potential innovation driver, the mechanisms influencing nurses' innovative behaviors remain unclear. To investigate the mediating role of organizational learning in the relationship between supervisors' knowledge sharing behavior and nurses' innovative behaviors in clinical settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 450 nurses from university hospitals of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Iran, between September and November 2024. Data were collected using the Supervisor Knowledge Sharing Behavior Questionnaire (SKSBQ), Innovative Behavior Inventory (IBI), and Organizational Learning Instrument-Development Stages (OLI-DS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were performed to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings revealed significant positive correlations between supervisor knowledge sharing behavior, organizational learning, and innovative behaviors. SEM results confirmed that organizational learning partially mediated the relationship between supervisor knowledge sharing behavior and nurses' innovative behaviors. The findings highlight the crucial role of supervisor knowledge sharing behavior in fostering nurses' innovative behaviors directly and through the mediating effect of organizational learning. Healthcare organizations should prioritize developing supervisors' knowledge sharing capabilities and establishing robust organizational learning cultures to enhance innovation among nursing staff. Not applicable.