K H Yoo1, Y A Zhang1, E K Yun2. 1. School of Nursing of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China. 2. College of Nursing Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
AIM: This study study aimed to investigate the effects of explicit and tacit knowledge sharing on clinical decision-making abilities and the mediating role of trust among registered nurses at Korean hospitals. BACKGROUND: Decision-making abilities comprise a key area of nursing practice and link nurses' perceptions with behaviours. INTRODUCTION: Tacit knowledge is embedded within an individual and cannot be expressed or transmitted to other people in a specific form. Over time, new nurses gradually gain experience and tacit knowledge and become experts. Trust, an organizational characteristic, may serve as a potential mediator in the association between knowledge sharing and decision-making abilities among nurses. However, few studies have investigated the mediatory role of trust in this association. METHOD: The data were collected from 210 nurses selected via random sampling. The research instrument in the model included Knowledge-Sharing Behavior, Trust, and Clinical Decision-Making in Nursing Scale. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the collected data. FINDINGS: The study findings showed that explicit knowledge sharing directly affects decision-making abilities, whereas tacit knowledge sharing is only associated with decision-making abilities when trust plays a mediating role. DISCUSSION: A higher level of organizational trust can improve clinical decision-making abilities via tacit knowledge sharing. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that unlike explicit knowledge, which is shared more easily, tacit knowledge sharing does not directly lead to clinical decision-making abilities. A higher level of organizational trust leads to a stronger beneficial effect of tacit knowledge sharing on clinical decision-making abilities. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: These findings concerning the mediatory role of trust on the association between knowledge sharing and clinical decision-making abilities provide new knowledge that will allow nurses, managers, and researchers to support the clinical decision-making abilities of nurses.
AIM: This study study aimed to investigate the effects of explicit and tacit knowledge sharing on clinical decision-making abilities and the mediating role of trust among registered nurses at Korean hospitals. BACKGROUND: Decision-making abilities comprise a key area of nursing practice and link nurses' perceptions with behaviours. INTRODUCTION: Tacit knowledge is embedded within an individual and cannot be expressed or transmitted to other people in a specific form. Over time, new nurses gradually gain experience and tacit knowledge and become experts. Trust, an organizational characteristic, may serve as a potential mediator in the association between knowledge sharing and decision-making abilities among nurses. However, few studies have investigated the mediatory role of trust in this association. METHOD: The data were collected from 210 nurses selected via random sampling. The research instrument in the model included Knowledge-Sharing Behavior, Trust, and Clinical Decision-Making in Nursing Scale. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the collected data. FINDINGS: The study findings showed that explicit knowledge sharing directly affects decision-making abilities, whereas tacit knowledge sharing is only associated with decision-making abilities when trust plays a mediating role. DISCUSSION: A higher level of organizational trust can improve clinical decision-making abilities via tacit knowledge sharing. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that unlike explicit knowledge, which is shared more easily, tacit knowledge sharing does not directly lead to clinical decision-making abilities. A higher level of organizational trust leads to a stronger beneficial effect of tacit knowledge sharing on clinical decision-making abilities. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: These findings concerning the mediatory role of trust on the association between knowledge sharing and clinical decision-making abilities provide new knowledge that will allow nurses, managers, and researchers to support the clinical decision-making abilities of nurses.