Navigating Quiet Quitting Among Critical Care Nurses in the Digital Era: The Impact of Techno-Stress and Digital...

The digitalisation of healthcare introduces both opportunities and stressors for nurses, especially in critical care settings where technological complexity is high. Excessive digital demands can cause techno-stress, potentially eroding engagement and promoting quiet quitting behaviours. Conversely, digital resilience may protect nurses against such effects.

To examine the relationship between techno-stress and quiet quitting among critical care nurses and to assess the moderating role of digital resilience.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among critical care nurses from 12 intensive care units in five tertiary hospitals. Validated Arabic versions of the Techno-Stress Questionnaire, Quiet Quitting Scale and Digital Resilience Scale were used. Data were analysed using PROCESS Macro Model 1 regression controlling for education, experience and working hours.

Data were analyzed from 392 critical care nurses participated in the study, who reported a moderate level of techno-stress (M = 3.50 ± 0.32), quiet quitting (M = 3.53 ± 0.52) and digital resilience (M = 3.37 ± 0.42). Techno-stress positively correlated with quiet quitting (r = 0.55, p < 0.001), whereas digital resilience correlated negatively with both. Regression analysis confirmed techno-stress as a significant predictor of quiet quitting (B = 0.348, 95% CI [0.27-0.43], p < 0.001). Digital resilience reduced disengagement (B = -0.492, 95% CI [-0.58 to -0.40], p < 0.001) and moderated the techno-stress-quiet quitting relationship (interaction B = 0.182, 95% CI [0.09-0.27], p < 0.001). The model explained 48.2% of variance in quiet quitting.

Techno-stress significantly increases quiet quitting among critical care nurses; however, digital resilience mitigates this effect. Quiet quitting may represent an early behavioural signal of digital overload.

Strengthening nurses' digital resilience through structured training, supportive leadership and user-friendly technologies can reduce techno-stress and disengagement. Policies should integrate digital well-being and resilience strategies to sustain workforce engagement and safeguard mental health in technology-driven healthcare systems.