Stress as a mediator between abusive supervision and clinical nurses' work outcomes

Aims: This study aimed to test whether stress could mediate the association between abusive supervision and nurses' work engagement, absenteeism, and turnover intention. Background: Abusive supervision has been attributed to suboptimal work performance and reduced productivity among employees in different sectors. While existing nursing literature links abusive supervision to a wide range of work-related outcomes in the nursing workforce, little is known regarding the mechanism underlying this relationship. Design: Data for this descriptive study were collected from 770 direct-care nurses from seven acute care hospitals in the Philippines, utilizing five standardized scales. Results: Abusive supervision had direct positive effects on absenteeism (beta = .189, p < .001) and intent to leave (beta = .138, p < .001) and a direct negative effect on job engagement (beta = -.131, p < .001). The relationships between abusive supervision and absenteeism (beta = .175, p < .001), intent to leave (beta = .131, p < .001), and work engagement (beta = -.122, p < .001) were partially mediated by stress. Conclusions: Stress mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and nurses' work outcomes, including turnover intention, absenteeism, and work disengagement. Implications for nursing and health policy: The evident connection between abusive supervision, stress, and work-related outcomes underscores the importance of focusing on enhancing managerial supervisory styles as a potential organizational strategy to enhance staff retention and well-being.