Analysis on the current situation and influencing factors of clinical leadership of cardiovascular nurses in China, a cross-sectional study

Background Clinical leadership is a crucial competency for cardiovascular nurses, as it directly influences the quality of cardiovascular care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient safety outcomes within the high-intensity, complex clinical environment of cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the current status and influencing factors of clinical leadership among cardiovascular nurses is critical for developing targeted interventions to enhance their professional capabilities and improve cardiovascular care. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the status quo of the clinical leadership among cardiovascular nurses, analyze its influencing factors, and provide a reference for formulating improvement strategies. Methods The study was conducted with a sample of 411 cardiovascular nurses from a tertiary hospital in Xiamen, selected using a convenience sampling method between January and July 2025. The tools used included a general information questionnaire, the Clinical Leadership Scale, the Nursing Work Environment Scale, and the General Self-efficacy Scale Results The total score of clinical leadership of the 411 cardiovascular nurses was (63.53 ± 9.81), with an average item score of (4.24 ± 0.82), indicating an above-average level. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified the title, department, and whether underwent training on clinical leadership, the nursing work environment, and the general self-efficacy (all P  < 0.05) as the influencing factors for the clinical leadership of cardiovascular nurses. Conclusion It is recommended that nursing managers offer targeted interventions based on the influencing factors to improve the clinical leadership of cardiovascular nurses, which requires targeted interventions, including expanding training opportunities, optimizing the nursing work environment, and strengthening self-efficacy development. These measures are essential to improve the quality of cardiovascular nursing care and patient safety outcomes.