Strategies for preventing presenteeism in nursing

Introduction: presenteeism in nursing refers to physical presence at work with physical and mental limitations, even when the professional has physical or mental limitations that compromise their performance. This phenomenon has significant repercussions on productivity, professional well-being and patient safety, highlighting the need for effective strategies to mitigate it. Objective: to summarize the main intervention strategies aimed at reducing the effects of presenteeism among nurses, analysing their causes, consequences and effectiveness. Method: a critical narrative analysis was carried out, based on studies selected from a search of databases such as CINAHL® Plus and MEDLINE®. Articles published in the last 10 years in Portuguese, English and Spanish were included. Results: the causes of presenteeism include organizational, psychosocial, physical and mental factors. The consequences include loss of productivity, risks to patient safety and worsening of the worker’s health. Effective interventions include physical activity programs, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, auricular acupressure, multi-component workplace health promotion programmes, competency-based education and management of musculoskeletal disorders. Positive effects were observed in symptom reduction, increased productivity, well-being, safety and reduced organizational costs. Conclusion: integrated strategies that combine organizational and individual approaches, show the best results, promoting the health and well-being of nurses, improving patient safety and reducing organizational costs.