Analysis of the factors influencing teamwork among oncology nurses based on multigroup structural equation model

Background: Effective teamwork among nurses could help reduce patient mortality and improve patient satisfaction. Previous studies have revealed factors influencing nursing teamwork, including internal factors, types of hospitals and departments, demographic factors of nurses, and scheduling. However, the factors influencing teamwork among oncology nurses have not yet been analyzed in domestic studies. This study investigated the status quo and influencing factors of teamwork among oncology nurses in order to inform strategies for improving clinical treatment effect and survival time of cancer patients. Methods: Nurses from the oncology department were recruited through convenience sampling. The survey tools included a general information questionnaire, professional identity scale, missed nursing care scale, and nursing teamwork scale. SPSS 25.0 and Amos 24.0 were used to verify the reliability and validity of each scale and to modify them. A structural equation model was constructed to analyze the model fit and each path coefficient. The structural equation model was used to analyze the factors influencing nursing teamwork in the oncology department, and a multigroup structural equation model was used to analyze whether the degree of nurses' participation in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) was a moderating variable of nursing teamwork. Results: A total of 583 valid questionnaires were collected from participants, and the total score for nursing teamwork was 126.86±15.62. The comprehensive influence path coefficients of professional identity and missed nursing care on nursing teamwork were as follows: team leadership (0.454) > trust and support (0.407) > team mental model (0.348). The coefficients of structural path H4 (professional identity → trust and support), H5 (professional identity → team leadership), and H7 (missed nursing care → team mental model) in the 2 group structural equation models based on the degree of nurses' participation in ERAS showed significant differences [Δχ2 =7.033, Degrees of freedom (DF)=4, P=0.000]. Conclusions: The professional identity of oncology nurses had a direct positive impact on team leadership, trust and support, team mental model, and missed nursing care. The degree of nursing staff's participation in ERAS had a moderating effect on nursing teamwork.