Objective To explore the interactive relationships among clinical nursing teachers' digital competence, professional self-efficacy, family-supportive supervisory behavior, work-family relationship, and career sustainability.

Methods Participants were selected using convenience sampling. An online survey was conducted among clinical nursing teachers using the Clinical Nurses' Digital Competence Questionnaire, the Family Supportive Supervisor Behavior Scale, the Professional Self-Efficacy Scale, the Work-Family Relationship Scale, and the Career Sustainability Scale. Descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS 27.0. Network analysis was conducted with R 4.4.0 to estimate edge weights, calculate node strength centrality, expected influence, and bridge expected influence, and assess network stability via bootstrap.

Results The edge weight between "regenerative" and "integrative" dimensions of career sustainability was the highest (r = 0.57). Centrality analysis revealed that "regenerative capacity" significantly outperformed other nodes in strength centrality and expected influence. Analysis of bridge expected influence indicated that "professional self-efficacy" exhibited the highest bridge expected influence index. The 95% confidence interval for network edge weights were narrow, with correlation stability coefficients of 0.75 for strength, expected influence, and bridge expected influence.

Conclusions "Regenerative capacity" serves as the core element sustaining the professional psychological system of clinical nursing teachers, while "professional self-efficacy" acts as the pivotal link between work and family domains. When formulating intervention strategies, nursing administrators are advised to consider enhancing "regenerative capacity" as the core objective, strengthening "professional self-efficacy" as a key component, and reinforcing digital competence training and family support for clinical nursing teachers.