Developing and applying the multidimensional presenteeism scale in nurses

This research was conducted using a mixed design, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, to develop a "Multidimensional Presenteeism in Nurses" scale. In the first phase of the study, individual, in-depth interviews were conducted with 62 nurses using qualitative methods. A 63-item scale draft, with content validity established based on the interview data, was developed. In the second phase, validity and reliability studies were conducted with 1,000 nurses, and following analyses, the scale was reduced to 42 items. The developed scale consists of three dimensions: "Experience of Presenteeism at Work," "Reasons for Presenteeism at Work," and "Consequences of Presenteeism at Work." The causes and consequences dimensions are further divided into three sub-dimensions. The scale was assessed using a 5-point Likert-type scale, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.90 for the experience dimension, 0.84 for the causes dimension, and 0.95 for the consequences dimension. These findings indicate that the scale has a high level of internal consistency. In the third phase of the study, an application study of the developed scale was conducted with 635 nurses. Participants' scores were found to be moderate in terms of presenteeism (24.83±6.59), its causes (45.74±10.78), and its consequences (53.67±16.46). Regression analyses revealed that 19.6% of the variance in the presenteeism experience dimension was explained by variables such as gender, educational status, position, unit, work type, frequency of leave, frequency of presenteeism, manager's fairness, and the presence of a backup person in case of presenteeism. The sense of responsibility sub-dimension of the reasons for presenteeism dimension explained 3.8% of the variance, workload and working conditions 25.3%, anxiety about punishment 8.1%, and the lack of performance and productivity sub-dimension of the consequences of presenteeism dimension explained 9.7%, professional unhappiness and fatigue 14.5%, and mental weakness 8.7%. Based on the findings, the "Multidimensional Presenteeism Scale for Nurses" was determined to be both a valid and reliable measurement tool. Because each dimension of the scale was analyzed separately, it can be used both as a holistic measurement tool and as three independent scales: Experience of Presenteeism, Causes, and Consequences.