The relationship of work support and work demands to individual outcomes and absenteeism of rural nurses.

Abstract

[Abstract]: This study looked at the relationships among work support, work demands, individual morale, individual distress, quality of working life, and absenteeism outcomes of 188 rural nurses working in the Southern Downs District Health Service. The absenteeism data were obtained from the employee information report that listed total monthly absenteeism rates (calculated as hours per full time employee) for the nursing staff at each of the six hospitals. Using structural equation modelling, it was found that work demands predicted levels of individual distress while work support predicted individual morale, quality of working life, and individual distress. Examination of the data revealed that hospitals where staff reported higher levels of work demands and lower levels of work support had higher absenteeism rates. The establishment of better support networks for rural nursing staff and reducing the work demands may influence levels of absenteeism although there could be a reciprocal effect whereby absenteeism contributes to greater work demands.