Aim To propose a hypothesized theoretical model and apply it to examine the structural relationships among work environment, patient‐to‐nurse ratio, job satisfaction, burnout, intention to leave and quality nursing care. Background Improving quality nursing care is a first consideration in nursing management globally. A better understanding of factors influencing quality nursing care can help hospital administrators implement effective programmes to improve quality of services. Although certain bivariate correlations have been found between selected factors and quality nursing care in different study models, no studies have examined the relationships among work environment, patient‐to‐nurse ratio, job satisfaction, burnout, intention to leave and quality nursing care in a more comprehensive theoretical model. Design A cross‐sectional survey. Methods The questionnaires were collected from 510 Chinese nurses in four Chinese tertiary hospitals in January 2015. The validity and internal consistency reliability of research instruments were evaluated. Structural equation modelling was used to test a theoretical model. Results The findings revealed that the data supported the theoretical model. Work environment had a large total effect size on quality nursing care. Burnout largely and directly influenced quality nursing care, which was followed by work environment and patient‐to‐nurse ratio. Job satisfaction indirectly affected quality nursing care through burnout. Conclusions This study shows how work environment past burnout and job satisfaction influences quality nursing care. Apart from nurses’ work conditions of work environment and patient‐to‐nurse ratio, hospital administrators should pay more attention to nurse outcomes of job satisfaction and burnout when designing intervention programmes to improve quality nursing care.