Objective To explore the relationship between workplace friendship, career resilience, and work performance of clinical nurses, and to provide suggestions for improving their work performance. Methods The survey was conducted in 673 clinical nurses from 7 tertiary hospitals in Henan, Shaanxi, and Guangdong provinces using the Workplace Friendship Scale, the Career Resilience Scale, and the Work Performance Scale. Results The clinical nurses scored (48.17±7.26) points in workplace friendship, (19.99±3.65) points in career resilience, and (42.62±6.44) points in work performance.There was significant correlation between clinical nurse′s workplace friendship and career resilience or work performance (all P＜0.05).After controlling the demographic variables, career resilience played a mediating role between workplace friendship and work performance, and the mediating effect accounted for 30.68% of the total effect. Conclusion Workplace friendships directly predicted work performance, with career resilience mediating the relationship.Nursing managers can help clinical nurses establish stable workplace friendship by creating a good work atmosphere, thereby enhancing their career resilience and improving work performance.