Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms as A Mediator Between Vicarious Trauma and The Quality of Nurse’s Work Life: A Secondary Data Analysis

Vicarious trauma places oncology nurses at great risk by consistently exposing them to the suffering of patients. The negative impact of vicarious trauma on nursing work life is known. Still, the psychological mechanisms by which vicarious trauma impacts nursing work life have not been well established or researched. The study examined the relationship between vicarious trauma and the quality of nurses’ work life among oncology nurses and examined the mediating role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. A quantitative design and secondary data were used; the sample consisted of 1,200 oncology nurses who practised within tertiary care institutions. Mediation analyses utilizing Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4), and Hierarchical regression and work-related factors, were used to examine the relationships between these three psychological constructs. Vicarious trauma had a strong positive correlation with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, while it also had a negative correlation with the quality of nursing work life. Additionally, obsessive-compulsive symptoms also had a negative association with the quality of work life. Moreover, obsessive-compulsive symptoms partially mediate the relationship between vicarious trauma and the quality of work life of oncology nurses. Oncology nurses' quality of work life is greatly impacted by vicarious trauma, both directly and through greater obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Moreover, interventions that focus on addressing cognitive-behavioural responses to trauma may play an important role in improving oncology nurses' occupational health and sustaining the oncology workforce.