Abstract: Objective To investigate the current status of hidden absence of ICU nurses in tertiary hospitals in China and analyze its influencing factors. Methods Convenience sampling method was adopted to select 794 ICU nurses from 24 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions in China, and they were surveyed by using general information questionnaire, hidden absence questionnaire, social support scale, transformational leadership scale, occupational coping self-efficacy scale, and work-family conflict scale. Results The average score of hidden absence of ICU nurses was 15.83±4.44; the score of perceived social support, occupational coping self-efficacy, and work-family conflict was 63.46±12.48, 22.33±6.94, and 27.05±8.08 respectively. Hidden absence was negatively correlated with the total score of family support, friend support, other supports and perceived social support (r=-0.328~-0.390, all P<0.05); but positively correlated with occupational burden, difficulty in getting along with others, and the total score of occupational coping self-efficacy (r=0.441~0.478, all P<0.05); and with work-family conflict, family-work conflict, and the total score of work-family conflict (r=0.339~0.442, all P<0.05). Multi-factor analysis showed that physical health, perceived work pressure, workplace violence, perceived social support, occupational coping self-efficacy, and work-family conflict were the main influencing factors of ICU nurses' hidden absence, accounting for 34.4% of the total variation. Conclusion Hidden absence of ICU nurses is at a moderate level and it needs to be further improved. Clinical nursing managers should pay attention to the special psychological needs of ICU nurses, and more guidance helps to reduce the incidence of hidden absence, and improve nurses' work well-being.

Key words: ICU, nurse, hidden absence, social support, self-efficacy, work-family conflict