Talent management in nursing: testing a model of antecedents and outcomes

Purpose Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (SET), Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory and Signal Theory (ST), this study examined the relationships among psychological capital (PC), learning agility (LA), nurses' perception of talent management (NPTM), individual adaptive performance (IAP) and subjective career success (SCS). It also investigated whether NPTM mediates these relationships. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional, correlational design was used, involving 1060 nurses from eight hospitals in Türkiye. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings The proposed model demonstrated acceptable fit indices. PC showed significant positive effects on NPTM, IAP and SCS. LA had a significant positive effect on IAP and SCS. NPTM also had a significant positive effect on IAP and SCS. In addition, partial mediation of NPTM was observed in the effects of PC on both IAP and SCS. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex relationships between the antecedents and outcomes of talent management in nursing. It responds to the call for systems that identify, develop and evaluate nurses' talents to meet the evolving demands of healthcare environments.