Compulsory Citizenship Behavior, Work Stress, Perceived Quiet Firing, and Quiet Quitting Among Nurses: A Mediation...

This study aimed to identify factors associated with quiet quitting and perceived quiet firing among nurses and to examine the mediating role of work stress and the exploratory serial indirect association involving perceived quiet firing in the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and quiet quitting.

A cross-sectional, model-testing design was employed with 624 nurses from three public hospitals. Sample size was determined pragmatically by inviting all eligible nurses not on long-term leave. Because all eligible nurses were invited during the study period, an a priori power analysis was not considered necessary. Instead, the sample size was pragmatically determined based on the accessible population. Statistical analyses included Pearson's correlation, multivariate linear regression using the enter method, and regression-based bootstrap mediation analyses, including simple mediation models and an exploratory PROCESS Model 6 serial mediation model with 5000 resamples and 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (BCIs).

Increases in general work stress and compulsory citizenship behavior were significantly associated with higher perceptions of quiet quitting and quiet firing. In addition, general work stress partially mediated the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and nurses' perceptions of quiet quitting and quiet firing.

These findings highlight the importance of improving nurses' working conditions, ensuring alignment between duties and job descriptions, and encouraging active participation in decision-making.

Nursing managers should address organizational conditions associated with work-related stress and perceived involuntary resignation. Regular feedback mechanisms, workload monitoring, and inclusive decision-making processes may help strengthen commitment and reduce disengagement among nurses.