Work Fatigue Is Not One Size Fits All Among Hospital Nurses: A Job Demands-Resources Model-Based Latent Profile...

To identify latent profiles of job demands, job resources and personal resources among hospital nurses based on the Job Demands-Resources model, and to examine whether these profiles differed in multidimensional work fatigue and demographic and occupational characteristics.

A cross-sectional survey study.

An online survey was conducted with clinical nurses in tertiary public hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China, between February and April 2024. Latent profile analysis was performed using seven standardised Job Demands-Resources indicators. Overall, physical, mental and emotional work fatigue were compared across profiles. Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore demographic and occupational correlates of profile membership. The study was reported in accordance with the STROBE guideline for cross-sectional studies.

Among 1804 nurses, three profiles were identified: Balanced Neutrals, Strained Survivors and Resilient Achievers. Strained Survivors were characterised by higher non-clinical work stress and work-to-family conflict, together with lower organisational identification, work-to-family facilitation, work-related meaning and self-efficacy. This profile reported the highest overall, physical, mental and emotional fatigue. Resilient Achievers showed the most favourable demand-resource configuration and the lowest fatigue, while Balanced Neutrals showed intermediate patterns. Profile membership was associated with employment type, age, gender, professional title, managerial role and clinical department.

Hospital nurses experience distinct demand-resource configurations that correspond to meaningful differences in multidimensional work fatigue. A person-centred Job Demands-Resources approach can support more targeted identification of fatigue risk.

Profile-informed strategies may help create healthier nursing work environments by identifying nurses who require demand reduction, work-family support, resource rebuilding or preventive monitoring.

This study addresses the tendency to treat nurses' work fatigue risk as uniform. The findings show that fatigue aligns with distinct configurations of job demands, job resources and personal resources, supporting profile-informed rather than one-size-fits-all healthy work environment strategies.

Reported in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guideline.

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.