Live like an ant to eat sugar: nurses’ engagement in extreme work conditions and their perceptions of its ethicality

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.