The relationship between compassion tendency and medical curiosity among nursing interns in the early stage of internship: a moderated mediation model

To examine the relationship between compassion tendency and medical curiosity among nursing students in the early stage of internship, and to provide evidence for nursing educators to foster medical curiosity among nursing interns. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 738 nursing students from three tertiary grade-A hospitals in Henan Province between May and September 2025 using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Medical Curiosity Scale, the Compassion Tendency Scale, and the Positive Psychological Capital Questionnaire to examine the associations among compassion tendency, medical curiosity, positive psychological capital, and nursing career intention in the early stage of internship.

The medical curiosity score of nursing students in the early stage of internship was 47.12 ± 11.35. Compassion tendency was positively associated with medical curiosity (B = 0.295, P