FROM MISTREATMENT TO IMPAIRED CARE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION IN THE INCIVILITY-COMPASSION FATIGUE RELATIONSHIP

Abstract

Workplace incivility is increasingly recognized as a pervasive issue in healthcare settings, yet limited research has examined how experiences of disrespect and rudeness affect healthcare professionals' capacity for compassionate patient care. This study investigated the relationship between workplace incivility and compassion fatigue among healthcare professionals, with emotional exhaustion as a proposed mediator. Grounded in Conservation of Resources Theory, the study hypothesized that workplace incivility would predict compassion fatigue both directly and indirectly through the depletion of emotional resources. Data were collected from 270 medical professionals using a cross-sectional survey design with convenience sampling. Established measures assessed workplace incivility, emotional exhaustion, and compassion fatigue. Emotional exhaustion significantly predicted compassion fatigue and partially mediated the relationship between workplace incivility and compassion fatigue. These findings demonstrate that when healthcare professionals experience uncivil behaviors from colleagues, supervisors, or patients, they suffer depletion of their emotional resources, which in turn compromises their capacity for empathetic engagement with those in their care. The study extends Conservation of Resources Theory by revealing emotional exhaustion as a critical psychological mechanism linking workplace mistreatment to impaired caring capacity. Practical implications include the urgent need for healthcare organizations to implement comprehensive incivility prevention programs, establish clear accountability mechanisms for disrespectful behavior, provide emotional support resources for staff, and train leaders to recognize early signs of emotional exhaustion. As healthcare systems confront persistent workforce challenges including burnout and turnover, addressing workplace incivility represents not merely an employee relations concern but a patient safety imperative requiring immediate organizational attention.

Keywords: workplace incivility, emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue, healthcare professionals, Conservation of Resources Theory, patient care quality