Phubbing and Caring Behaviors Among Emergency Nurses: The Mediating Role of Emotional Exhaustion
Tao Lin, Qing Ye, Yongli GaoBackground
Phubbing (phone snubbing) in high‐pressure emergency department (ED) settings is associated with nurse–patient interaction challenges and patient safety concerns; however, its underlying process remains unclear.
Aim
Grounded in the job demands‐resources model, in this study, we explored the relationship between phubbing and caring behaviors among ED nurses, tested the mediating role of emotional exhaustion, and identified potential intervention targets to inform nursing management practice.
Design
A multicenter cross‐sectional study.
Methods
Between March and June 2025, 512 ED nurses from 18 hospitals across five geographic‐economic tiers in Sichuan Province, China, were recruited via stratified multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Chinese versions of the generic scale of phubbing (GSP), caring behaviors scale‐24 (CBS‐24), Maslach Burnout Inventory‐General Survey (MBI‐GS), and a demographic questionnaire. Common method bias was assessed using Harman’s single‐factor test and the marker‐variable technique. Hierarchical regression and bootstrap methods were used to test the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion.
Results
The mean GSP, CBS‐24, and emotional exhaustion scores were 4.28 ± 0.88, 4.52 ± 0.46, and 3.18 ± 0.82, respectively. Hierarchical regression showed that, after controlling for demographics, phubbing was negatively associated with caring behaviors ( β = −0.203, p < 0.001), explaining an additional 5.2% of variance. After emotional exhaustion was added, the direct association of phubbing decreased to β = −0.138 ( p = 0.002). Emotional exhaustion was negatively associated with caring behaviors ( β = −0.267, p < 0.001), explaining an additional 6.8% of variance. Bootstrap analysis indicated that emotional exhaustion partially mediated the relationship (indirect effect = −0.089, 95% CI [−0.126, −0.056]), accounting for 43.8% of the total effect.
Conclusions
Phubbing is significantly associated with lower caring behaviors among ED nurses and is indirectly associated with lower caring behaviors through emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion is a potential intervening node for nursing managers.