From lack of respect in the workplace to hidden absenteeism among psychiatric nurses: Mediated chain mediation effect

Objective: To explore the relationship between lack of respect in workplace and hidden absenteeism of psychiatric nurses.Method: The study was conducted in March 2023 in Jiangsu, China, and comprised nurses working in psychiatry andpsychology departments of hospitals of different grades in the province. Demographic and professional data was collected,and the lack of respect in the workplace, psychological disengagement, empathy fatigue, emotional exhaustion and hiddenabsenteeism among the nurses were assessed. The chain mediation model was established to examine the mediating effectof lack of respect in the workplace on hidden absenteeism. Data was analysed using SPSS 29Results: Of the 1203 subjects with mean age 33.86±7.76 years, 1,087(90.36%) were females and 232(19.29%) werespecialised nurses. Absenteeism rate was significantly higher among specialty nurses, night nurses and those working inpsychiatry wards (p<0.001). Lack of respect in the workplace was positively correlated with empathy fatigue, emotionalexhaustion and hidden absenteeism (p<0.001), and psychological disengagement was negatively correlated with empathyfatigue, emotional exhaustion and hidden absenteeism (p<0.001).Conclusion: There was a mediated chain mediator between lack of respect in the workplace and hidden absenteeism ofpsychiatric nurses. Empathy fatigue and emotional exhaustion played a mediated chain mediator, and psychologicaldetachment could regulate the mediation.Keywords: Respect, Absenteeism, Nurse, Psychiatric, Emotional exhaustion, psychological detachment.