Presenteeism in Nurse Anesthetists: Status and Demographic Correlates from Five Tertiary Hospitals in China
Abstract
Presenteeism or working while ill poses risks to clinicians and patients, but remains underexplored among Chinese nurse anesthetists. This cross-sectional, quantitative, correlational study assessed the status and correlates of presenteeism among nurse anesthetists across five tertiary university-affiliated hospitals in Henan Province, China. Using stratified random sampling by hospital, 230 eligible participants completed an online survey comprising the 11-item Nurse Presenteeism Questionnaire (NPQ; 0–3 scale) and demographic/work variables. Presenteeism was high overall (NPQ mean = 2.04, SD = 0.58; equivalent to attending work 2 to 5 times while ill in the past six months). The highest means were whole-body fatigue/discomfort (2.18), gastrointestinal symptoms (2.16), and chest distress/shortness of breath/palpitations (2.13). Group comparisons showed significant associations between presenteeism and age (χ²=19.80, df=3, p<.001; Cramér’s V=0.29), professional level (χ²=17.20, df=4, p=.002; V=0.27), and employment contract type (χ²=12.60, df=2, p=.002; V=0.23), while gender, education, marital status, position, tenure, night-shift frequency, paid sick leave, training, occupational-injury support, and income satisfaction were not significantly related (all p>.05). Findings indicate a common, symptom-spanning pattern of presenteeism in this workforce, with higher levels observed among older, more senior, and non-permanently contracted nurses. To mitigate harmful presenteeism and enhance patient safety, we propose a Theory of Planned Behavior; an informed program targeting attitudes (risk awareness, perceived benefits/costs), subjective norms (managerial and peer expectations), and perceived/actual control (non-penalized sick-leave access, staffing buffers, ergonomic/health supports). Given the cross-sectional, self-report design, all associations should be interpreted as noncausal and potentially influenced by common-method and recall biases.
About this article
Keywords
- Presenteeism
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Occupational Health
- China
- Cross-Sectional Study
- Theory of Planned Behavior
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