Live like an ant to eat sugar: nurses’ engagement in extreme work conditions and their perceptions of its ethicality
基于对埃及四家公立医院32名护士的深度访谈，研究护士在极端工作条件下的投入及其伦理问题，发现宗教误解、性别不平等、教育不足和人员短缺是主因，而身心健康受损、个人时间匮乏和强制感引发伦理质疑。
Based on recent research on extreme work and social exchange theory, this paper presents a pioneering study focussed on public hospital nurses’ engagement in extreme work conditions and its associated ethical aspects. The empirical part comprises of 32 in-depth interviews conducted with nurses in four public hospitals in Egypt. Our findings highlight how a misunderstanding of religion, gender inequality, average education, and staff shortages are the main reasons of nurses’ engagement in intensive jobs. Moreover, poor physical and mental health, lack of time for personal commitments, and a sense of coercion emerged as aspects that raise questions regarding the (un)ethicality of nurses engaging in extreme work.