AI Substitution Perception and Nurses' Active Learning Behavior: The Mediating Role of Job Insecurity and Moderating...

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is profoundly reshaping the nursing profession, potentially raising nurses' concerns about their professional safety and development, thereby affecting their learning behaviors.

This study aimed to examine the current state and influencing factors of nurses' active learning behavior, explore the mediating effect of job insecurity on the relationship between nurses' artificial intelligence technology substitution perception and active learning behavior, as well as the moderating effect of occupational self-efficacy.

Using a convenience sampling method, 560 nurses from 10 hospitals in Shandong Province, China, were recruited from March 1 to March 31, 2026. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the Perception Scale of AI Technology Substitution, the Job Insecurity Questionnaire, the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale-6, and the Active Learning Behavior Scale. SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 29.0 were used for data analysis.

Nurses' mean active learning behavior was 23.63 ± 5.59. The direct effect of artificial intelligence technology substitution perception on active learning behavior was 0.232 (46.96%), and the indirect effect via job insecurity was 0.262 (53.04%). Occupational self-efficacy positively moderated the relationship between job insecurity and active learning behavior (moderated mediation index = 0.007).

The mediating effect of job insecurity between artificial intelligence technology substitution perception and active learning behavior was positively moderated by occupational self-efficacy.

Nursing managers should correctly guide nurses' perception of artificial intelligence, shape their positive attitude toward artificial intelligence technology, make rational use of job insecurity, and enhance their occupational self-efficacy, which may help promote nurses' active learning behavior and career development.