Occupational stress and associated risk factors among nurses: a cross-sectional study

Work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in nurses and office workers: a comparative study

Objectives. This study aims to compare the work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms of nurses and office workers and to determine the relationship between work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.Methods. A total of 127 nurses and 127 office workers participated in the cross-sectional study and comparative study. Data were collected using the perceived work stress scale and the Maudsley obsessive-compulsive inventory.Results. Nurses had higher work stress scores (p = 0.003) in general than office workers. In particular, nurses with a low (p < 0.039) and average (p < 0.007) economic status, nurses who had been employed for 1-10 years (p < 0.001) and nurses working 40 h per week (p < 0.042) had higher work stress scores than office workers. There was no difference (p > 0.05) between obsessive-compulsive symptom scores. There was a positive significant relationship (p < 0.001) between work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptom scores of nurses and office workers. Work stress explains 6.1% of the obsessive-compulsive symptoms in nurses and 12.4% in office workers.Conclusion. The results of this study concluded that work stress of nurses is higher than that of office workers and work stress affects the obsessive-compulsive symptoms in both groups.

Occupational stress and associated sources and risk factors among nurses in Gaza strip, Palestine: A cross-sectional survey

AIM

To determine the occurrence of occupational stress among Palestinian nurses, and their associated sources and risk factors.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive design.

METHODS

A total of 250 registered nurses from eight governmental hospitals, using a convenience sampling method. Data collection were conducted using the 30-items self-reported Occupational Stress Scale from December 2022 to March 2023. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were applied to analysis data. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of high occupational stress levels was 64.8% (Mean = 3.9 out of 5). The main sources of stress are too much responsibility and work, understaffing, lack of promotion and recognition, inadequate pay, time pressure, and management style. The results regression analysis demonstrated that male nurses with a Masters or PhD degree and those working in fixed shifts experienced higher occupational stress. Moreover, participants who worked overtime hours were more susceptible to stress.

CONCLUSIONS

The research indicates that occupational stress presents a notable challenge for nurses in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. It suggests that in order to alleviate this stress, decision-makers in healthcare policy and hospital management should prioritize the execution of strategies aimed at addressing the primary stressors and risk factors identified.

REPORTING METHOD

This study adhered to the STROBE guidelines.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

A total of 250 registered nurses were taken part in this study by answering a self-administered study survey.

'Breakdown and healing' - adaptation experiences of postpartum nurses returning to work: a descriptive phenomenological study

BACKGROUND

Promoting the work adaptation of nurses returning to work after childbirth is key to improving their physical and mental health and ensuring the quality of nursing care. Although postpartum nurses have reported high work stress and poor adaptation after returning to work, little is known regarding the experiences, problems and further needs. This study aimed to explore the adaptation experiences of postpartum nurses returning to work.

METHODS

This was a qualitative study with descriptive phenomenological approach. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and May 2023 in four tertiary hospitals in Changsha, mainland China, which were selected using convenience sampling. A total of 16 postpartum nurses returning to work within one year were recruited using purposive sampling and maximum variation sampling. The interviews were analysed using the Colaizzi's 7-step method.

RESULTS

'Breakdown and healing' is a strong thread in postpartum nurses' work adaptation. It links 13 subthemes in the interview data, which can be grouped under three overarching themes: (a) changes and challenges of multiple roles; (b) self-coping and social support; and (c) further needs after returning to work. The phrase 'breakdown and healing' reflects the mutual relationship between stress and coping among postpartum nurses. The changes and challenges associated with being required to fulfil multiple roles of mothers, wives and nurses make the subjects feel on the verge of 'breakdown'. When returning to work, most of them move slowly towards 'healing' through positive self-management and support from their partners, families, supervisors and colleagues. Moreover, their ongoing demands and unsolved problems - such as their desire for a workplace that is friendly and serves their needs - were generated by the constant process of 'breakdown and healing'.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding how postpartum nurses returning to work perceive adaptation experiences is essential for nursing managers, who can use the findings to implement targeted measures to shorten postpartum nurses' maladaptation period after returning to work and promote their work adaptation. This study underscores the critical importance of personalized return-to-work training, flexible work arrangements, support from colleagues and managers, well-established maternal facilities and services, and targeted policy efforts in enhancing postpartum nurses' work adaptation.

Factors associated with workplace stress and health promotion behaviours among Chinese emergency nurses: A cross-sectional study

THE AIM

To explore and describe workplace stress levels and health-promoting behaviours reported by emergency nurses in China, and to investigate factors associated with workplace stress and health-promoting lifestyle behaviours among emergency nurses.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2019 and January 2020. Nurses (n = 1565) were recruited from the emergency departments of 54 hospitals within the Sichuan Province of West China. Each subject completed the Chinese versions of the Nurse Workplace Stress Scale, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II) and demographic questions. Linear regression analyses were used to identify associations between workplace stress and the health-promoting lifestyle and risk factors correlated with these two measurements.

RESULTS

Workplace stress was negatively associated with health-promoting behaviours. Linear regression analysis showed that gender, marital status, whether wages met expected standards and professional rank were found to be associated with health promotion behaviours; marital status, whether income met expected standards, the number of night shifts per month and health promotion behaviours were found to be associated with workplace stress.

CONCLUSION

Higher levels of workplace stress are associated with lower levels of engagement in health-promoting behaviours, suggesting the potential for reducing workplace stress through the adoption of healthier habits. Policies should prioritize workplace stress by promoting healthy lifestyle initiatives.

Stress level and associated factors among nurses working in the critical care unit and emergency rooms at comprehensive specialized hospitals in Southern Ethiopia, 2023: explanatory sequential mixed-method study

BACKGROUND

Stress is a pervasive occurrence within certain professions, including nurses working in emergency and intensive care unit environments. Nurses in these settings often confront various stress-inducing factors, such as unsupportive management and distressing events like patient mortality, and experience notably higher levels of stress. Nevertheless, information is scarce regarding the precise level of stress in Ethiopia, particularly within southern hospitals.

OBJECTIVE

To assess stress levels and associated factors among nurses working in the critical care unit and emergency rooms at comprehensive specialized hospitals in southern Ethiopia, 2023.

METHODS

A facility-based cross-sectional explanatory sequential mixed-method study was undertaken, involving a total of 239 nurses. For the quantitative component, all nurses working in intensive care units and emergency rooms were included as participants, while a purposive sampling technique was employed to select participants for the qualitative aspect. Data for the quantitative study were gathered through the utilization of self-administered questionnaires, while interviews were conducted using a structured interview guide for the qualitative portion. Quantitative data entry and analysis were performed using EpiDataV4.6 and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, respectively. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted using the OpenCode software.

RESULTS

The level of stress among nurses in the emergency and intensive care units was low (19.3%), moderate (55.9%), and high (24.8%). Workload (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.17-10.56) and time constraints (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI (1.03-6.07) were significantly associated with moderate stress level, while duty demands (AOR = 3.03, 95% CI (1.17-7.14), availability of medical equipment and supplies (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI (1.18-4.97), and witnessing death and dying (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI (1.13-5.88) were significantly associated with high-stress level. The qualitative data analysis revealed that the participants underscored the significant impact of organizational factors, individual factors, and profession-related factors on the stress levels experienced by nurses in emergency and critical care settings.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based on the findings, the participants in this study experienced some level of stress, to varying degrees. Therefore, it is crucial to implement effective strategies such as optimizing staffing and workflow, improving communication and collaboration, providing adequate support and resources, leveraging technology and innovation, emphasizing patient-centered care, and implementing data-driven quality improvement to alleviate the burden.

Nurses' experiences of the attributes of the organizational citizenship behavior: a qualitative content analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among nurses, as the key human resources in healthcare systems, is of paramount importance to nursing care quality and patient outcomes. The present study was to reflect on Iranian nurses' experiences of OCB.

METHODS

This qualitative study was completed in Iran from December 2022 to October 2023. In total, 20 nurses involved in hospitals, meeting the inclusion criteria, were recruited by purposive sampling with maximum variation. The data were then collected using 20 semi-structured interviews, each one lasting 30-60 min, and finally analyzed through qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The data analysis revealed the nurses' experiences of OCB under nine subcategories and three main categories, including (i) "helping behavior", comprised of four subcategories of helping colleagues at work, helping colleagues outside of work, boosting morale, and creating a culture of support and appreciation, (ii) "extra-role behavior" with two subcategories of cooperation in advancing tasks, and creativity and efforts to promote services, and (iii) "contribution to professional growth and development", consisting of two subcategories of individual professional development and support for colleagues' professional development.

CONCLUSION

Nursing managers and instructors can use the study results to enhance nurses' OCB by evaluating and employing nurses, and incorporating OCB into nursing curricula and continuous training programs.

Prevalence and associated factors of secondary traumatic stress in emergency nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Nurses in emergency departments are at a high risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress because of their frequent exposure to trauma patients and high-stress environments.Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the overall prevalence of secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses and to identify the contributing factors.Method: We conducted a systematic search for cross-sectional studies in databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Wanfang Database, and China National Knowledge Internet up to October 21, 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute's appraisal checklists for prevalence and analytical cross-sectional studies were used for quality assessment. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed using Cochrane's Q test and the I2 statistic. A random effects model was applied to estimate the pooled prevalence of secondary traumatic stress, and subgroup analyses were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity. Descriptive analysis summarized the associated factors.Results: Out of 345 articles retrieved, 14 met the inclusion criteria, with 11 reporting secondary traumatic stress prevalence. The pooled prevalence of secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses was 65% (95% CI: 58%-73%). Subgroup analyses indicated the highest prevalence in Asia (74%, 95% CI: 72%-77%), followed by North America (59%, 95% CI: 49%-72%) and Europe (53%, 95% CI: 29%-95%). Nine studies identified associated factors, including personal, work-related, and social factors. In the subgroup of divided by recruitment period, emergency department nurses in the COVID-19 outbreak period had a higher prevalence of secondary traumatic stress (70%, 95% CI: 62%-78%).Conclusions: Secondary traumatic stress prevalence is notably high among emergency department nurses, with significant regional variations and period differences. The factors affecting secondary traumatic stress also varied across studies. Future research should focus on improving research designs and sample sizes to pinpoint risk factors and develop prevention strategies.Registration: PROSPERO CRD42022301167.

Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress and associated reasons among Iranian primary healthcare workers: a mixed method study

BACKGROUND

Different mental disorders may be associated with many work-related factors to which primary health care workers (PHCWs) are exposed. The current research aims to measure the rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among PHCWs, and their associated causes in primary health care (PHC) settings.

METHODS

An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed in this research from January 2021 to January 2022 in Tabriz, Iran's PHC centers. First, this study followed an online-based cross-sectional survey using a self-reported questionnaire. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) and questions on demographic and work-related characteristics were completed by 303 frontline PHCWs during the quantitative phase. In the qualitative phase, a semi-structured interview was held with 12 PHCWs who had the highest level of depression, anxiety, and stress to identify the reasons and sources of mental health prevalence. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS-26. A content analysis was performed to analyze qualitative data.

RESULTS

The results showed that self-reported stress, anxiety, and depression had a prevalence of 40.3%, 42.9%, and 42.6%, respectively. Symptoms of at least one mental disorder were experienced by 54% of respondents, while 28% had all three. Major sources of stress, anxiety, and depression among PHCWs were working environment conditions, organizational policies, job-related reasons, and interpersonal relations.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of current study indicated that PHCWs experienced high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The main factors and reasons that contributed to these mental health issues among PHCWs were work environment conditions, organizational policies, job-related reasons and interpersonal relations. Therefore, interventions should be implemented to promote mental health of PHCWs. This can include measures such as psychological screening, supportive care, workload management, flexible scheduling, and access to mental health resources. Additionally, training programs can be implemented to enhance resilience and coping skills among healthcare professionals.

Compassionate Care: A Qualitative Exploration of Nurses' Inner Resources in the Face of Burnout

There is a universal shortage of nurses, with a current needs-based shortage of 5.9 million. This is not solely a recruitment issue but one of retention, triggered by high levels of work-induced stress, burnout, and reports of low job satisfaction resulting in poor care delivery. Some of the health repercussions on nurses include anxiety, insomnia, depression, migraines, irritability, absenteeism, and sometimes alcoholism and drug abuse. To tackle some of these costly issues, a qualitative exploration into how inner resources is used by nurses to cope with stress at different points of their careers is proposed. Through the lens of grounded theory, semi-structured interviews will be carried out with two distinct sets of participants: (1) Student nurses registered at the University of the Illes Baleares between 2022-2025. (2) Experienced nurses on the Balearic nursing register. Interviews will be coded and then analysed using Atlas.ti. Expected results will inform curriculum improvements that will benefit the well-being of (student) nurses, from the outset of their training, pre-empting potential psycho-social risks before they arise in the workplace. This is vital as it addresses nurses' mental health as well as chronic issues of retention and absenteeism.

Work-related stress among nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic: What are the contributing factors?

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the contributing factors of work-related stress among nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 101 nurse practitioners from two hospitals in West Java, Indonesia. We distributed an online questionnaire to evaluate work-related stress and the data were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression.

RESULTS

More than half of the nurses experienced moderate work-related stress. The study revealed that nurses aged over 35 years old had a lower likelihood of experiencing work-related stress (AOR: 0.173; 95%CI: 0.038-0.782). Married nurses had a higher likelihood (AOR: 7.156; 95% CI: 1.456-35.163). Additionally, nurses with low and moderate workloads had a lower likelihood (AOR: 0.003; 95%CI: 0.000-0.051) and (AOR: 0.025; 95%CI: 0.005-0.116), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The consideration of age, marital status, and workload is essential in effectively addressing work-related stress among nurse practitioners.

Effect of cardiovascular biofeedback on nursing staff stress: a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

to assess the effect of cardiovascular biofeedback on nursing staff stress when compared to an activity without self-monitoring.

METHOD

a randomized controlled clinical trial, carried out with nursing professionals from a university hospital. The intervention group (n=58) performed cardiovascular biofeedback, and the control (n=57) performed an online puzzle without self-monitoring, totaling nine meetings over three weeks. The outcome was assessed using the Stress Symptoms and Work-Related Stress scales, and the biological marker heart rate variability. The generalized estimating equations method was used.

RESULTS

the intervention had no effect on self-reported instruments (p>0.050). However, there was an effect of time (p<0.050) on all heart rate variability indicators, demonstrating changes over the sessions.

CONCLUSION

cardiovascular biofeedback showed promising results in the biological marker, suggesting that it can be used in nursing staff as a complementary therapy by promoting better autonomic nervous system regulation.

Psychometric testing of the 10-item perceived stress scale for Chinese nurses

BACKGROUND

Nurses bear a lot of stressors at work. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is a widely used self-reported scale for measuring the global perception of stress. However, there is a lack of use of the PSS-10 in Chinese nurses. This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the PSS-10 among Chinese nurses.

METHODS

A total of 708 Chinese nurses completed the PSS-10, the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested the factor structure of the PSS-10. Cronbach's α and test-retest correlation examined the scale reliability. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses tested the convergent, discriminant and criterion validity of the PSS-10.

RESULTS

CFA revealed that a two-factor model fits the structure of the PSS-10 in Chinese nurses (χ2/df = 6.25, p < 0.001; comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.94, non-normal fit index [NNFI] = 0.92, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] = 0.91, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.08, standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.05). The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α = 0.86) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.66, p < 0.001), satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity with relations to Big Five personalities, as well as good criterion validity such that the PSS-10 score could explain incremental variance in predicting anxiety, depression and stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that PSS-10 is a reliable and valid measure of perceived stress among Chinese nurses and can be used in future research and practice on stress management and coping in Chinese nurses.

Investigating the relationship between resilience and professional ethics in nurses: a cross-sectional study in southern Iran

INTRODUCTION

All businesses that deal directly with clients need to observe ethics, but in the nursing profession due to its nature, compliance with professional ethics becomes more necessary. On the other hand, nurses face tensions and difficult conditions in their daily work environment. Resilience is one of the most important abilities of human beings, which in difficult conditions causes effective adaptation to stress-causing factors. Therefore, the relationship between resilience and professional ethics becomes important.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between resilience and professional ethics in nurses of Shahid Ganji Hospital, Borazjan 2022-2023.

METHODS

The current study is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. The study environment was Shahid Ganji Hospital in Borazjan, Bushehr, Iran. The research method of the current study was census, so all 400 nurses of this hospital were invited to participate in the study. Finally, 340 of them were included in the study based on the inclusion criteria. Data collection tools included a demographic information form, Connor-Davidson questionnaire, and Cadozier professional ethics questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 22 software.

RESULTS

Most of the participants were between 25 and 30 years old. The average overall score of resilience and professional ethics of nurses participating in the study was 64.1 ± 16.3 and 34.3 ± 9.4, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the demographic characteristics of nurses with resilience and professional ethics. The Spearman correlation coefficient indicated a statistically significant and inverse relationship between professional ethics and resilience levels (r = -0.265, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated a significant and inverse relationship between professional ethics and resilience among nurses. Furthermore, professional ethics were at a moderate level, while resilience was at a good level. Therefore, it is recommended that enhancing professional ethics skills through the organization of educational workshops for nurses should be considered by nursing managers.

Post-traumatic responses to workplace violence among nursing professionals: a collaborative and comparative study in South Korea and Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

Workplace violence has had a significant and negative psychological impact on nursing professionals worldwide. Concerted worldwide efforts to improve work environments have not yet removed nursing professionals from the threat of violence. It is highly essential to conduct comparative research in various working environments where the nurses of each country have unique experiences of workplace violence. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in the rate, associated factors, and post-traumatic responses to workplace violence between South Korean and Chinese nurses in Hong Kong among East Asian countries.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, correlational study design recruited a total of 471 registered nurses (319 South Korean nurses and 152 Chinese nurses in Hong Kong; overall response rate = 78.5%) at online communities in South Korea and Hong Kong. The data were collected by conducting a Qualtrics survey from January 15, 2020, to July 24, 2021. A structured questionnaire was administered for data collection, including rate of workplace violence, perception of workplace violence, attitudes toward workplace violence, coping styles, post-traumatic cognitions, post-traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic growth, and mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, and stress). T-test, chi-squared, and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

In our sample, 30.7% South Korean nurses and 31.6% Chinese nurses in Hong Kong had experienced workplace violence. South Korean and Chinese nurses in Hong Kong with experience of workplace violence had lower perceptions of it. Nurses with experience of workplace violence reported lower levels of mental health, and this trend was more prominent among South Korean nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study findings showed a positive association between workplace violence and post-traumatic responses in both settings. We found that the close monitoring of post-traumatic responses associated with workplace violence could be improved by enhancing nurses' perception of workplace violence.

Effects of a mindfulness-based interventions on stress, burnout in nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Stress in the healthcare environment causes negative effects in nurses such as burnout, anxiety, and depression. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased pressure on medical staff globally, highlighting the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing nurses' stress levels. Despite numerous studies exploring the effect of mindfulness-based training on nurses, the results remain inconclusive.

Objective

To systematically evaluate the impact of mindfulness training on nurse's performance and increase the certainty of existing evidence.

Methods

This study searched various databases, including EBSCO, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Cochrane Online Library, Wanfang, SinoMed, CNKI, and VIP, for randomized controlled trials on the impact of mindfulness-based interventions for nurses up until 02 December 2022. Two investigators independently screened and extracted data from the articles, while also assessing the risk of bias. The data was analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software.

Results

This review identified 15 studies out of the 2,171 records retrieved, consisting of a total of 1,165 participants who were randomized. Post-intervention analysis provided very-low certainty evidence of moderate effectiveness of mindfulness-based training in reducing stress [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.11 to -0.52], with no significant effect on anxiety (SMD = -0.30; 95% CI = -0.72 to 0.13) or depression (SMD = -0.24; 95% CI = -0.55 to 0.07). However, the training was effective in reducing burnout, as demonstrated by the lower scores for emotional exhaustion (SMD = -4.27; 95% CI = -5.94 to -2.59) and depersonalization (SMD = -2.89; 95% CI = -4.24 to -1.54) and higher scores for personal accomplishment (SMD = 2.81; 95% CI = 0.12 to 5.50). There was a sustained improvement in stress levels in the short-term (≤3 months), with delayed benefits for burnout. However, only two studies were available for later follow-ups, and there was no significant evidence of long-term effects.

Conclusion

Mindfulness-based training may be a viable intervention for improving the psychological wellbeing of nurses, including reducing stress, burnout.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023387081.

Subjective mental workload in Spanish emergency nurses. A study on predictive factors

INTRODUCTION

Mental workload refers to the cognitive or intellectual requirements that a worker is subjected to in a workday. The objective of the present work was to discover the subjective mental workload of nursing staff at Hospital Emergency Units, and its relationship with sociodemographic, work, environmental factors at the workplace, and personality variables.

METHOD

A quantitative, descriptive, observational, and crosssectional study was conducted with 201 emergency nurses from 13 different provinces in Spain. Each participant completed 5 questionnaires (sociodemographic, work conditions, environmental conditions, personality, and subjective mental workload). Descriptive statistics were obtained, and Pearson's correlations and multivariate models (multiple linear regression) were performed.

RESULTS

The nurses had medium to high levels of mental workload. The environmental conditions had a direct relationship with the mental workload, especially with respect to noise and lighting. The participants obtained high scores in kindness, responsibility, openness/intellect, and extraversion. Positive and statistically significant relations were found between neuroticism and mental workload. Being female, older, and having stable employment or a permanent contract were associated with a greater mental workload of emergency nurses.

CONCLUSION

The domain of neuroticism personality, and the hygienic conditions in the workplace were the predictors with the most weight in the model. This study could be useful for defining aspects that need to be considered for the well-being of emergency nurses, such as lighting conditions or environmental noise in the workplace. It also invites reflection on the influence of personal factors (age, gender, personality) and work factors (type of contract, professional experience) on the mental workload of emergency nurses.

Patterns of work-related stress and their predictors among emergency department nurses and emergency medical services staff in a time of crisis: a latent profile analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that a disease outbreak may cause high stress among healthcare workers. However, the vast majority of those studies applied a variable-centered approach, in which relationships between the variables are believed to be identical across the studied population. The main purpose of this study was to identify latent profiles of healthcare workers with similar combinations of levels of various work-related stressors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to examine their predictors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional paper-and-pencil study was conducted among a convenience sample of 297 emergency department (ED) nurses and 219 emergency medical services (EMS) staff members working in 10 hospital EDs and 52 EMS centers in Ardabil province, Iran. Data were collected using the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards Indicator Tool (HSE-MS IT).

RESULTS

Using the latent profile analysis (LPA), five work-related stress profiles were identified: "high stress with a good understanding of one's job role" (11.1%), "moderate stress" (41.9%), "relatively high stress with average demands and a very low understanding of one's job role" (23.8%), "low stress" (18.0%), and "generally low stress but with very high job demands and relational conflicts" (5.2%). Age, marital status, service location, workplace, and the number of overtime hours significantly predicted profile membership.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study suggest the importance of incorporating various sources of stress and using the person-centered approach when investigating the work-related stress of healthcare workers during disease outbreaks. Identifying sociodemographic and work-related predictors of profile membership may be useful for preparing interventions that will be better suited to healthcare workers' needs.

A systematic review study on the factors affecting shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals

AIM

This study aimed to determine factors that influence the nursing workforce shortage and their impact on nurses.

DESIGN

This study applied a systematic review design.

METHODS

Using Cochrane library guidelines, five electronic databases were systematically searched (Research 4life-PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL) from 2010-2021. The remaining articles with pertinent information were presented in a data extraction sheet for further thematic analysis. A Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Flow Diagram was adopted and used. The studies published from 2010-2021 and in English language were examined and included in the systematic review.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified as factors influencing the nursing workforce shortage, including Policy and planning barriers, Barriers to training and enrolment, Factors causing nursing staff turnover and Nurses' stress and burnout. Nursing workforce shortage is a global challenge that roots in multiple causes such as individual, educational, organizational and managerial and policy-making factors.

Discriminatory practices and poor job performance: A study of person-related hostility among nursing staff

This study highlights the organisational-level factors that become the reason for propagating hostile behaviours among female nurses. Freire's theory of oppression has been used as an underpinning theory for developing the conceptual framework. This study empirically verifies the conceptual framework of the study that gender discrimination and lack of administrative support are the antecedents of person-related hostility, which is the reason for poor job performance in the healthcare sector. We applied a quantitative research approach, using questionnaires to collect data. Total of 707 survey forms were collected from female nurses working in public sector hospitals in four main cities of Pakistan. The software SPSS 20 and SmartPLS 3 were used for the final data analysis. All hypotheses regarding the direct and indirect relationship of variables were accepted. Gender discrimination and lack of administrative support were positively associated with person-related hostility. Moreover, person-related hostility also mediated the relationship between independent variables (gender discrimination, lack of administrative support) and dependent variable (poor job performance). Future research is directed to study person-related hostility among nursing staff of semi-urban areas and small towns with low literacy rates, considering other dependent variables like burnout, mental well-being, and mental health. HR strategies and policies for fair performance evaluation and timely promotions of nursing professionals are proposed in the study for building an overall healthy environment.

Well-Being of Israeli Nurse Practitioners During Times of Crisis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

For healthcare workers, good work-related well-being positively affects enthusiasm, efficiency, and job satisfaction. Conversely, poor well-being is associated with burnout and negative patient outcomes. During times of crises, it is difficult to balance professional responsibilities with well-being.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the degree of well-being among nurse practitioners in Israel who worked in COVID-19 units or allied units during the delta wave.

Methods

This was a web-based, cross-sectional study. Nurse practitioners who worked within the COVID-19 units in Israeli hospitals were asked to complete several questionnaires: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression.

Results

Forty-nine nurse practitioners participated in the survey. Scores from the Subjective Happiness Scale and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form indicate that most nurses have relatively positive mental health. Conversely, scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies indicated that participants are at risk for clinical depression. There was a positive moderate association between the number of years worked as a nurse practitioner and depression and a moderate negative association between the number of years worked as a nurse practitioner and happiness.

Conclusions

Understanding how nurses' mental health is impacted during crises can provide healthcare systems with tools to prevent negative outcomes. This, in turn, may contribute to a lower burnout rate, higher satisfaction from work, and better patient outcomes.

Co-Design in Electrical Medical Beds with Caregivers

Among the plethora of instruments present in healthcare environments, the hospital bed is undoubtedly one of the most important for patients and caregivers. However, their design usually follows a top-down approach without considering end-users opinions and desires. Exploiting Human-centered design (HCD) permits these users to have a substantial role in the final product outcome. This study aims to empower caregivers to express their opinion about the hospital bed using a qualitative approach. For a holistic vision, we conducted six focus groups and six semi-structured interviews with nurses, nursing students, social-health operators and physiotherapists belonging to many healthcare situations. We then used thematic analysis to extract the themes that participants faced during the procedures, providing a comprehensive guide to designing the future electrical medical bed. These work results could also help overcome many issues that caregivers face during their everyday working life. Moreover, we identified the User Experience features that could represent the essential elements to consider.

Occupational stress and associated risk factors among 13,867 industrial workers in China

Objective

Occupational stress is a critical global public health problem. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of occupational stress among the workers in the electricity, heat, gas, water production and supply (EHGWPS), manufacturing, and transportation industries in Beijing, China. We explored the demographic differences in occupational stress status among workers in industrial enterprises.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 13,867 workers. The self-administered New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate high occupational stress status, which includes four sub-dimensions (job stressors, stress response, social support, job stressors & social support). Multiple regression and logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between high occupational stress and the four occupational stress sub-dimensions with risk factors.

Results

A total of 13,867 workers were included. The prevalence of high occupational stress was 3.3% in the EHGWPS industries, 10.3% in manufacturing, and 5.8% in transportation. The prevalence of high occupational stress was higher than in the other two categories (p < 0.05) in manufacturing industries. Logistic regression analysis showed that male workers with lower educational status, more job experience, and working in manufacturing were vulnerable to high occupational stress. Further analysis of the four occupational stress sub-dimensions showed that male workers, older adult workers, workers with lower educational levels, and longer working time were associated with higher scores in job stressors, stress response, social support, and job stress & social support (all p < 0.05). Moreover, divorced or widowed workers had higher occupational stress scores.

Conclusion

Male workers with lower educational levels and longer working time may have an increased risk of occupational stress.

Critical Clinical Events and Resilience Among Emergency Nurses in 3 Trauma Hospital-Based Emergency Departments: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Emergency nurses experience occupational stressors resulting from exposures to critical clinical events. The purpose of this study was to identify the critical clinical events for emergency nurses serving 3 patient populations (general, adult, pediatric) and whether the resilience of these nurses differed by the patient population served.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 48 emergency nurses were recruited from 3 trauma hospital-based emergency departments (general, adult, pediatric). Clinical Events Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, and an investigator-developed demographic questionnaire were used to collect data from respondents.

RESULTS

All respondents were female (n = 48, 100%), and most were White (n = 46, 96%). The average age of participants was 39.6 years, the average number of years as a registered nurse was 12.7 years, and the average number of years as an emergency nurse was 8.8 years. Clinical events considered most critical were providing care to a sexually abused child, experiencing the death of a coworker, and lack of responsiveness by a colleague during a serious situation. The least stress-provoking event was incidents with excessive media coverage. Nurses were less affected by the critical events they experienced more frequently at work. Nurses in the 3 trauma settings had high level of resilience, with no statistically significant differences between groups.

DISCUSSION

The occupational stress from exposure to significant clinical events varied with the patient population served by emergency nurses. It is important that interventions be adopted to alleviate the effect of work-related stressors and promote the psychological health of emergency nurses.

Intensive Care Unit Nurses’ Perceptions of and Coping Strategies for Motherhood Experiences: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study explored the perception of intensive care unit nurses in relation to their motherhood experiences and coping strategies. Ten intensive care unit nurses (aged 28–37 years) with children under 3 years old were recruited. In-depth 90-min interviews were conducted, and the contents of the audio recordings were translated into verbatim transcripts. From the results of the research analysis, three themes were identified: challenges and conflicts of motherhood, dilemma in life and work balance, and maternal engagement. The “challenges and conflicts of motherhood” and “dilemma in life and work” represent the maternal experiences, while “maternal engagement” is the coping strategy used. To establish a friendly working environment and policies, nursing managers should consider improving the friendliness of work units and encourage co-workers to support each other in the hospital.

Mediating effect of circadian rhythm between work stress and sleep quality in Chinese shift-working nurses: A cross-sectional survey

AIM

This study examined the mediating effect of circadian rhythm amplitude (LV) and stability (FR) between work stress and sleep quality among Chinese shift-working nurses (SWNs).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Three-hundred and seventy-nine nurses working in shifts were investigated by convenient sampling from six hospitals in Shanghai, China. The mediating effect was analysed using the structural equation model with bootstrapping procedures.

RESULTS

Work stress could directly affect shift nurses' sleep quality and indirectly affect sleep quality through circadian rhythm amplitude and stability. The total indirect effects of work stress on sleep quality accounted for 36.7% of the total effect. The study revealed that poor sleep quality is very common among SWNs, which deserves attention. The mediating effect of the circadian rhythm provides new insights to improve sleep quality, not only by lightening the work stress but also by improving circadian rhythm in SWNs.

Spatial patterning of occupational stress and its related factors in Iranian critical care nurses using a hierarchical Bayesian technique

BACKGROUND: In each community, health problems’ patterns and geographical changes are of prime importance to determine high and low-risk areas. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the Spatial patterning of occupational stress and its related factors in Iranian critical care nurses using a hierarchical Bayesian technique METHODS: The current research was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. The data includes the number of critical care unit nurses who show a high stress level based on a questionnaire. We used variables such as age, gender, collaboration status, working time, marital status, clinical experience, education, supervisor support, stress score, and working on holiday days for this study. The survey participants had to be at least 18 years old, a registered nurse, and working in the intensive care unit (ICU). OpenBUGS version 3.2.3 was used to implement the Bayesian hierarchical Poisson model and find partial patterning of occupational stress and its related factors. RESULTS: The final sample size was 17414 nurses. The overall prevalence of occupational stress in ICU nurses was estimated at 70%. The lowest and highest prevalence was 65.8% in the North Khorasan province and 75.2% in Golestan province. Occupational stress had a statistically significant association with collaboration status, but with demographic variables, shift work, supportive supervisor, and working on holidays had no statistically significant association. CONCLUSIONS: According to the findings, it is necessary to eliminate or reduce job stress and increase efficiency in Iranian nurses, encourage teamwork and collaboration as an essential element of a healthy workplace environment.

Experiences, Perceptions, and Coping Patterns of Emergency Department Nurses with Occupational Stressors in Saudi Arabian Hospitals: Mixed-Method Study

Extended working hours, a complicated workplace environment, and engagement in numerous physical and psychological stressors have been associated with the stressful nature of the nursing profession. Only a few studies have provided some insight into workplace stress and coping strategies adopted by nurses in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries. Therefore, this study utilized a mixed-method design to explore the numerous factors that lead to stress among emergency nurses, their experience and perception of stress, and the coping mechanisms they find useful. A survey containing four domains and 86 items was adapted, pilot tested, and validated. The quantitative phase recruited 296 nurses who returned completed questionnaires, and then 21 nurses were interviewed for the qualitative phase. In total, 89.5% (n = 265) of the participants were female, 51% (n = 151) were aged 20–29 years, 83% (n = 246) were non-Saudi nationals, 49% (n = 145) were married, and 82% (n = 245) had a bachelor’s degree. The most common causes of occupational stress were work overload, personnel shortages, and inadequate pay. The qualitative phase data revealed five primary themes, including increased workload, rising living costs despite equal compensation, and staff shortages as main stressors. In addition, the study found that praying and spending quality time with friends are the primary coping techniques among nurses. The study results contribute to a better understanding of nurses’ working conditions in the emergency department. Additionally, they may contribute to the development of policies and practice reforms to improve Saudi nurses’ well-being, health, and overall work experience.

Occupational Stress among Operation Room Clinicians at Ethiopian University Hospitals

Background. The surgical operation room is a known stressor workplace. Occupational stress can cause negative impacts on the personal well-being of healthcare professionals, health services, and patient care. Since there was limited research evidence in Ethiopia and the developing world, we aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with occupational stress among operation room clinicians at university hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia, 2021. Methodology. After ethical approval was obtained, a cross-sectional census was conducted from May 10 to June 10, 2021. The United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards Work-Related Stress Indicator Tool was used to assess occupational stress. Data were collected from 388 operation room clinicians and analysed by using binary logistic regression analysis. Results. The prevalence of occupational stress was 78.4%. Rotating work shifts (AOR: 2.1, CI: 1.1–4.7), working more than 80 hours per week (AOR: 3.3, CI: 1.5–3.8), use of recreational substances (AOR: 2.1, CI: 1.1–3.8), being an anesthetist (AOR: 4.1, CI: 1.7–10.0), and being a nurse (AOR: 4.0, CI: 1.7–9.7) were found significantly associated with occupational stress. Conclusion. We found that there was high prevalence of occupational stress among operation room clinicians and factors associated with occupational stress were rotating work shifts, working more than 80 hours per week, use of recreational substances, being an anesthetist, and being a nurse. Hospitals are advised to arrange occupational health services for operation room clinicians, prepare sustainable training focused on occupational health, and reorganize shifts, working hours, and staffing.

Occupational burnout in Iranian health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Health care workers (HCWs), mostly frontliners, are encountering numerous physical and psychosocial stressors, and even managing some conflicts over the course of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this respect, the present study was to investigate the prevalence rate of occupational burnout (OB) in such workers during this pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted between April 6 and May 30, 2020, via an online survey in 31 provinces of Iran, on HCWs selected based on convenience sampling method. For data collection, a socio-demographic information form and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was utilized. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multivariate regression analysis were also applied to test the research hypotheses.

RESULTS

In total, 7626 HCWs participated in the present study. Accordingly, 73.2 and 26.8% of the workers were female and male, respectively. As well, 57.8% of the respondents were nurses and 14.4% of the cases were clinicians. Moreover, 44.8% of the participants had thus far worked in isolation wards and 40.3% of these individuals reported working for 4-8 hours with COVID-19 patients. The prevalence rate of OB was 18.3%. Besides, 34.2, 48.7, and 56.1% of the respondents had severe levels of emotional exhaustion (EE), higher depersonalization (DP), and decreased sense of personal accomplishment (PA), respectively. Besides, the HCWs at the age range of 20 to 30, having female gender, no children, and a bachelor's degree, and working in isolation wards showed the higher levels of OB with reference to the Chi-square test results (p < 0.001). Accordingly, the statistical test outcomes demonstrated that a history of physical illnesses (p = 0.001) and psychiatric disorders (p = 0.044) could be the best predictor of OB throughout the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

Regarding the high prevalence rate of OB among the HCWs and the remaining COVID-19 journey in Iran, health care managers are recommended to orient the required management and coping strategies toward improving mental health in these individuals.

Occupational stress and its relationship with spiritual coping among emergency department nurses and emergency medical services staff

Introduction

Emergency Department (ED) nurses and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Staff are faced with several stressors daily, such as the COVID 19 pandemic situation, which affects the health and the quality of services to patients. Spiritual coping with stress is an attempt to overcome the stress on the basis of what is transcendent. The use of spiritual coping strategies helps a person to overcome tensions caused by the work environment.

Objective

The current study aimed to investigate occupational stress and its relationship with spiritual coping among ED nurses and EMS staff.

Materials and methods

This study was descriptive-correlational research. Using convenience sampling methods, 516 ED nurses and EMS staff were enrolled in the study. The study instruments included demographic information, HSE Occupational Stress, and spiritual coping questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSSv.22 software and the descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.

Results

The highest and lowest levels of occupational stress were the dimensions of “demand” (2.96 ± 0.65) and “role” (3.89 ± 0.81) respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that positive spiritual coping, negative spiritual coping, workplace, service location, type of employment, and work position were important factors affecting the occupational stress of ED nurses and EMS staff, which accounted for 0.34% of the variance.

Conclusion

The findings showed the need to improve the work environment for ED nurses and EMS staff, including changes in physical working conditions, salaries, and better employment conditions. Training programs are recommended to reduce stress through the use of positive spiritual coping strategies.

Work stress in nurses returning to tertiary a general hospitals in China after the delivery of their second child: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the current situation of work stress in nurses returning to work in Chinese tertiary A general hospitals after giving birth to their second child and to analyze influencing factors.

METHODS

From January to April 2021, 448 nurses returning to work after the birth of their second child, working in 23 general hospitals in China, were investigated and completed the postpartum work stress scale and self-rating depression scale.

RESULTS

The total work stress score of returning nurses after giving birth to their second child was 90.40 ± 18.29, and the dimension with the highest score was the role commitment of the mother. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that family monthly income, turnover intention, time since returning to work, age of the first child, and depressive symptoms were the influencing factors on work stress.

CONCLUSION

It is important to reduce the work stress of the nurses returning to work after the birth of their second child. Nursing managers should pay attention to this group of postpartum nurses and formulate targeted measures to alleviate their work stress.

Factors associated with stress, anxiety and depression in nursing professionals in the hospital context

OBJECTIVE

to determine the factors associated with stress, anxiety and depression, concomitantly, in nursing professionals who work in the hospital context.

METHODS

a quantitative and cross-sectional study with 353 nursing professionals from a hospital. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 were used. Data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, difference and correlation tests.

RESULTS

the main factors associated with stress, anxiety and depression, concomitantly, were being female, compromised family and social support, lack of autonomy at work, hostile relationship with colleagues, lack of professional recognition and satisfaction, feeling of being overwhelmed and insecurity.

CONCLUSIONS

demographic, physiological, social and work factors impact the levels of stress, anxiety and depression in nursing professionals. The adoption of coping strategies for modifiable factors should be considered, in order to provide better quality of life for these professionals.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) in a sample of health professionals: a cross-sectional study

Background

Although the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) has been used in different countries and translated into different languages, the Persian version of this scale has not been validated for healthcare professions in Iran. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of DASS-21 for nurses.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1135 nurses working in public hospitals, who were selected through convenience sampling. DASS-21, which consists of 21 items and three dimensions (depression, anxiety, and stress), has been translated into Persian, and there is an online version available. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the factor structure of this scale. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was also measured to establish internal consistency. Besides, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess the test-retest reliability.

Results

The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was acceptable for anxiety (0.79), stress (0.91), and depression (0.93). An acceptable test-retest reliability (0.740-0.881, P < 0.01) was also reported for DASS-21 and its three dimensions. The results of CFA showed acceptable model fit (χ²/(df) = 1457/(186), P < 0.001), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA = 0.078), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI = 0.906), comparative fit index (CFI = 0.917), and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR = 0.047). Fifty-seven nurses were included in the test-retest. The ICCs for all dimensions ranged from 0.75 to 0.86, indicating the acceptable test-retest reliability of the scale.

Conclusion

The Persian version of DASS-21 showed good psychometric characteristics, and it was confirmed as a valid and reliable tool for evaluating depression, anxiety, and stress among Iranian nurses. However, further validation studies of the Persian DSASS-21 are needed among other healthcare professionals, including physicians, midwives, and allied health professionals.

Stressors and level of stress among different nursing positions and the associations with hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension: a national questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND

Nurses are faced with varying job stressors depending on their positions and duties. Few previous studies have compared job stress and related chronic conditions among different nursing positions. The objectives were to compare job stressors among clinical registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and head nurses and explore the impact of job stressors and stress level on hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension.

METHODS

Secondary data extracted from a survey of health-care workers conducted from May to July 2014 across 113 hospitals in Taiwan was used. This analysis included 17,152 clinical registered nurses, 1438 nurse practitioners, and 2406 head nurses. Socio-demographic characteristics, job stressors, stress levels, and hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension variables were extracted.

RESULTS

Perceived stressors differed among clinical registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and head nurses, but overall stress level did not. Nurse practitioners and head nurses showed significantly higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension than clinical registered nurses. Higher stress levels, age, body mass index, work hours, and caring for family members were positively associated with hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension. After adjustment for these variables, risk of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension did not differ across the nursing positions.

CONCLUSIONS

Although stressors vary by different nursing positions, overall stress level does not. Hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension are related to stress level, age, body mass index, weekly working hours, and caring for family members. Hence, alleviating job stress and avoiding long working hours are likely to reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension in nurses.

Associations of perceived stress and salivary cortisol with the snack and fast-food dietary pattern in women shift workers

This study aimed to investigate the association of perceived stress and salivary cortisol levels with the snack and fast-food dietary pattern in a sample of women shift workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 539 women aged 18-53 years working in the production line of a poultry processing plant. Stress was assessed with the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and by salivary cortisol levels (immediately after waking and upon returning home from work). Dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis. We used linear and Poisson regression models to assess multivariable-adjusted associations of perceived stress and salivary cortisol levels with the snack and fast-food dietary pattern. After adjustments, women with higher PSS-10 scores had a 28% higher probability (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.56) of consuming snacks/fast food. Mean (SD) waking cortisol levels were inversely associated with quartiles of the dietary pattern: Q1, 6.63 (0.43) nmol/L; Q2, 6.00 (0.38) nmol/L; Q3, 5.62 (0.40) nmol/L; and Q4, 5.29 (0.35) nmol/L (p = 0.019). Perceived stress was not associated with salivary cortisol levels. The work shift was not associated with perceived stress or cortisol levels. This study demonstrated an association of psychological and physiological measures of stress with a dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of hyper-palatable, energy-dense, ready-to-eat foods among women shift workers.

Investigating the relationship between workplace stressors and caring behaviours of nursing staff in inpatient wards: A cross-sectional study

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of various job stressors on caring behaviours of nursing staff.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional nationwide study.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 260 nurses employed in the inpatient wards of seven teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran during December 2019-February 2020. The participants were selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the nursing stress scale and the caring behaviours inventory. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 20 using descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The results of regression analysis indicated that job stress is correlated with nurses' caring behaviours (β = -.36; p = .001). Factors such as workload (β = -.27; p = .001), uncertainty about patient treatment (β = -.26; p = .017) and lack of emotional preparation (β = -.20; p = .017) were the important stressors associated with nurses' caring behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the results, high levels of perceived job stress due to workload, uncertainty about patient treatment and lack of emotional preparation are associated with lower levels of nurses' caring behaviours.

IMPACTS

The findings of this study showed that to provide patients with optimal caring behaviours, hospital and nursing managers should design interventions to reduce nurses' job stressors, especially in terms of their interactions with their colleagues and physicians.

Professional practice environment and nursing work stress in neonatal units

OBJECTIVE

To assess the nurse professional practice environment of neonatal units and its relationship with the levels and main sources of occupational stress.

METHOD

Cross-sectional descriptive, exploratory, correlational study performed with nursing professionals of neonatal units of four public hospitals. A sociodemographic/professional questionnaire, the Brazilian version of Practice Environment Scale, and the Work Stress Scale were applied. In the analysis, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson chi-squared, Likelihood Ratio, and Mann Whitney U tests were adopted for association among variables.

RESULTS

Participating professionals amounted to 269. The practice environment was evaluated as favorable by more than half of the sample (63.6%), showing a significant statistical association which was inversely proportional with occupational stress (p < 0.001). The insufficient number of professionals for quality care was the major source of stress for nursing technicians, whereas teamwork with doctors was the predominant factor for the evaluation of environment quality and high stress levels of nurses.

CONCLUSION

Unfavorable practice environments increase the stress levels of nursing professionals in neonatal units and may compromise patient safety.

The Relationship Between Organizational Stress Levels and Patient Safety Attitudes in Operating Room Staff

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between organizational stress levels and patient safety attitudes in operating room (OR) staff.

DESIGN

The study was conducted using a descriptive correlational research method.

METHODS

The study sample was made up of 164 OR staff (38 surgeons, 32 anesthetists, 46 nurses, and 48 anesthetic technicians/OR support staff) at a university hospital. The data were collected with a Personal Information Form, the Organizational Stress Scale, and the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire-Operating Room (SAQ-OR) version.

FINDINGS

The most important factor affecting organizational stress was sources of stress related to financial means, whereas the most important factor affecting patient safety attitudes was teamwork climate. Sources of stress related to the nature of the work performed and to management were higher in surgeons; mean scores in the subdimension of stress sources related to financial means were higher in nurses; whereas, total scores in the SAQ-OR version and mean scores in the subdimensions of perceptions of management, working conditions, and stress recognition were higher in anesthetic technicians/OR support staff. A statistically significant weak negative correlation was found between the Organizational Stress Scale and the SAQ-OR version.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, as organizational stress levels of OR staff increased, patient safety attitudes were negatively affected. To improve patient safety attitudes of OR staff, it is recommended that work environments that reduce organizational stress are created.

The relationship between workplace deviant behaviors and organizational justice among nurses: A cross-sectional survey

AIM

This study aimed to determine the correlations between workplace deviant behaviors (WDBs) and the levels of the perceived organizational justice among Iranian nurses.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional quantitative research.

METHODS

The present research was conducted on 424 nurses selected by a convenience sampling method in 2019 (May-August) in Tabriz, Iran. A self-administered questionnaire, including demographic information, organizational justice, and WDBs, was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Based on the findings, nurses had a moderate level of perception of organizational justice while having a low level of perception regarding the occurrence of WDBs. A significantly reverse correlation was found between perceived organizational justice and WDBs (r = -.295, p <.001). Eventually, the findings of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the level of perceived organizational justice could significantly predict WDBs (the coefficient of determination, R²  = 0.111).

CONCLUSION

The study findings confirmed the hypothesis that an improvement in the levels of organizational justice was related to a decrease in the occurrence of WDBs. Therefore, hospitals and nursing managers are suggested to build and maintain a supportive and healthy work environment to enhance the levels of perceived organizational justice and to minimize the incidence of WDBs. They should also address reward systems, organizational policies and procedures, interpersonal justice, and shared decision-making in this respect.

Registered nurses' perceptions on the factors affecting nursing shortage in the Republic of Vanuatu Hospitals: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Registered nurse has a vital role in delivering healthcare services to individual, family and community. One of the main challenges that health system facing globally is the shortage of nursing workforce. Vanuatu as a Pacific county is also facing the shortage issue and the impact on the registered nurses' performance.

METHODS

A qualitative study was used to collect data from 25 registered nurses in three randomly selected hospitals in Vanuatu between 4th to 14th September, 2020. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data using face-to-face in-depth interviews. The data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis process.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified including; Difficult working conditions, Reinforcing factors and Perceived risks. Sub themes for difficult working condition were heavy workload, lack of workforce and unusual working hours. Sub themes for reinforcing factors were lack of support, lack of opportunities and advancement in nursing practice. Sub themes for perceived risks were stress, physical and mental risk, and social and family risks.

CONCLUSION

This study has identify factors affected shortage of current nursing workforce and the impact it has on registered nurses. Broad themes and sub-themes were identified which highlighted the impact of nursing shortage to registered nurses and the effects on their performance which includes stress or moral distress from work overload and lengthy hours shift which impact the nurses' physical, psychological, social, and family relationship, and lack of leadership support. The findings can be helpful to policy makers at the decision-making level to resolve the nursing workforce shortage and its effects in the future by refining and developing relevant policies that will address and strengthen the nursing workforce to meet the demand and improve delivery of quality health services to all individual.

Burnout and its relationship to self-reported quality of patient care and adverse events during COVID-19: A cross-sectional online survey among nurses

AIMS

To assess nurses' burnout and its association with their perceived quality of patient care and occurrence of adverse events (AEs) during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND

Burnout is a serious problem among nursing staff internationally with negative impacts on the quality of care and patient safety.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional online study among 1,004 Iranian nurses through the convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, five items of questions related to self-reported poor patient care quality and estimated occurrence of AEs.

RESULTS

Prevalence of high burnout among nurses was 31.5%. The risk of AEs ranged from 26.1% to 71.7%. Self-reported quality of patient care was found to be poor. A positive correlation was found between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores and patient care quality, whereas a negative correlation was found between personal accomplishment scores and all poor care item scores. Depersonalization was found to increase the risk of the onset of all AEs (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06-1.08). Also, Personal accomplishmentreduced the risk of occurrence of 'medication errors' (OR = 0.99) and the onset of 'patient and their family verbal abuse' (OR = 0.97).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings confirmed the hypothesis that a higher degree of burnout is correlated with a perceived higher number of AEs and reduced perceived patient care quality.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Reducing burnout among nurses through implementing interventions may be an effective strategy to enhance patient care quality and reduce the number of AEs in Iranian public hospitals. Therefore, in order to minimize work burnout, primary approaches include access to psychosocial support, including Web-based services, psychological first aid, mental support hotlines and self-care techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development and Validation of the Brief Nursing Stress Scale (BNSS) in a Sample of End-of-Life Care Nurses

Nursing has been identified as a very stressful profession. Specifically in end-of-life care, nurses frequently experience stressful situations related to death and dying. This study aims to develop and validate a short scale of stress in nurses, the Brief Nursing Stress Scale. A cross-sectional survey of Spanish end-of-life care professionals was conducted; 129 nurses participated. Analyses included a confirmatory factor analysis of the Brief Nursing Stress Scale, estimation of reliability, relation with sex, age and working place, and the estimation of a structural equation model in which BNSS predicted burnout and work satisfaction The confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate fit: χ²(9) = 20.241 (p = 0.017); CFI = 0.924; SRMR = 0.062; RMSEA = 0.098 [0.040,0.156]. Reliability was 0.712. Women and men showed no differences in stress. Younger nurses and those working in hospital compared to homecare showed higher levels of stress. A structural equation model showed nursing stress positively predicted burnout, which in turn negatively predicted work satisfaction. Nursing stress also had an indirect, negative effect on work satisfaction. The Brief Nursing Stress Scale showed adequate estimates of validity, reliability, and predictive power in a sample of end-of-life care nurses. This is a short, easy-to-use measure that could be employed in major batteries assessing quality of healthcare institutions.

Nurses' perception of patient safety culture and its relationship with adverse events: a national questionnaire survey in Iran

Background

Patient safety culture is an important factor in determining hospitals’ ability to address and reduce the occurrence of adverse events (AEs). However, few studies have reported on the impact of nurses’ perceptions of patient safety culture on the occurrence of AEs. Our study aimed to assess the association between nurses’ perception of patient safety culture and their perceived proportion of adverse events.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 2295 nurses employed in thirty-two teaching hospitals in Iran. Nurses completed the Persian version of the hospital survey of patients’ safety culture between October 2018 and September 2019.

Results

Positive Response Rates of overall patient safety culture was 34.1% and dimensions of patient safety culture varied from 20.9 to 43.8%. Also, nurses estimated that the occurrence of six adverse events varied from 51.2–63.0% in the past year. The higher nurses’ perceptions of “Staffing”, “Hospital handoffs and transitions”, “Frequency of event reporting”, “Non-punitive response to error”, “Supervisor expectation and actions promoting safety”, “Communication openness”, “Organizational learning continuous improvement”, “Teamwork within units”, and “Hospital management support patient safety” were significantly related to lower the perceived occurrence at least two out of six AEs (OR = 0.69 to 1.46).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated that nurses’ perception regarding patient safety culture was low and the perceived occurrence of adverse events was high. The research has also shown that the higher level of nurses’ perception of patient safety culture was associated with lowered occurrence of AEs. Hence, managers could provide prerequisites to improve patient safety culture and reduce adverse events through different strategies, such as encouraging adverse events’ reporting and holding training courses for nurses. However, further research is needed to assess how interventions addressing patient safety culture might reduce the occurrence of adverse events.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-021-00571-w.

Transitional Shock of Multi-Nationality Newly Graduate Nurses in Kuwait

Introduction

The transitional period of newly graduate nurses became more stressful, different coping mechanisms are essential. Therefore, effective coping with transition-related stress and anxiety is important for the life and professional of those nurses.

Objectives

To examine the transitional shock through assessing the occupational stress and coping mechanism of multi-nationality newly graduate nurses in Kuwait.

Methods

A descriptive correlational design was used to identify the occupational stress of the newly graduate nurses (NGNs) and their coping mechanisms during the transitional period to their professional life. All the NGNs were recruited. The total number of participants was 152 nurses.

Results

Highly significant correlations on almost all stress domains with p-values P < 0.01. We found that "Death and dying" was ranked as the highest stressor with a mean score of 6.20, followed by "uncertainty concerning treatment" with a mean score of 5.59, and in the "Inadequate preparation" was the least stressor with a mean score of 1.64.

Conclusion

"Religious coping" was the highest-ranked coping mechanism. In conclusion, NGNs have to adjust quickly to the new practical atmosphere encountered in the health care settings by using the proper coping mechanisms techniques.

Occupational stress and associated factors among health care professionals in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Occupational stress is a global health problem which affects employed personals especially health professionals. The burden of stress is not limited at individual level, but also affects the organizations productivity, the quality of care and country in large. In Ethiopia, little concern is given to this problem and individual studies conducted among health care professionals also showed inconsistent result. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the pooled prevalence of occupational stress and its associated factors among health care professionals in Ethiopia.

Methods

Articles were searched from PubMed, Hinari, PsychInfo, Science direct databases, Google and Google scholar. A total of 10 studies were included in this review and meta-analysis. We used a standardized format for data extraction and STATA software version 13 for analysis. A random effect meta-analysis model was used to determine the pooled prevalence of occupational stress and I² was used to check heterogeneity. Begg’s and Egger’s tests were conducted to detect publication bias. Furthermore, sensitivity and subgroup analysis was also conducted. Association was expressed by pooled odd ratio with corresponding 95% CI.

Results

The pooled prevalence of occupational stress was 52.5 [95% CI: (47.03, 57.96)]. The heterogeneity test was I² = 89.1% & P < 0.001. The result of the publication bias detection (Begg’s and Egger’s) tests were p = 0.283 and p = 0.369 respectively. Female sex was identified as a significant predictor for occupational stress with a pooled effect of 3.75 [95% CI: (2.58, 5.45)].

Conclusions

Above half of health care professionals had occupational stress. Being female was significantly associated factor in this review and meta-analysis. Therefore, introduction of policies supporting health care professionals well-being at work in Ethiopia are advisable.

Demographic predictors of resilience among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is mostly transmitted through respiratory droplets. One of the exposure methods pf this disease is through occupational exposures and, thereby, a large number of people are prone to catching this disease due to their occupations. Nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic are at the forefront of healthcare. There is no information about the level of resilience and the demographic and job factors predicting resilience in the critical conditions of this occupational group.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to determine the resilience score and its predictive demographic factors among the nurses working at the hospitals involved with COVID-19 in Ahvaz, Iran.

METHODS

387 nurses from Ahvaz hospitals participated in this study. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used to assess resilience. Demographic information was also collected using a designed questionnaire. Since the present study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the questionnaires were sent online. Data were entered into software SPSS (version 23) and T-test, ANOVA and regression methods were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The mean score of 61.18 (±14.8) was obtained for CD-RISC. The results of this study showed that age (r = 0.610, P = 0.003), work experience (r = 0.572, P = 0.030), and level of education (r = 0.514, P = 0.044) had a significant positive correlation with nurses' resilience score during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple regression analysis indicated that work experience and level of education were the predictors of nurses' resilience (R2 = 0.15).

CONCLUSION

The score of nurses' resilience was low. Based on the results, education and work experience were determined as the contributing factors for resilience. The findings can help to better understand effective and predictive demographic factors to achieve higher resilience in stressful situations.

Nurses' perception of teamwork and its relationship with the occurrence and reporting of adverse events: A questionnaire survey in teaching hospitals

AIMS

To identify the levels of teamwork and its relationship with the occurrence and reporting of adverse events among Iranian nurses.

BACKGROUND

Strengthening teamwork is emphasized worldwide for enhancing quality care and patient safety.

METHODS

This study applied a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 327 Iranian nurses from eight teaching hospitals participated in a self-administered survey using simple random sampling. The Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire was used to measure the teamwork. The frequency of occurrence and reporting of adverse events were measured with two questions. Data were analysed using descriptive analyses, independent t tests and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean teamwork score was 3.81 out of 5. Among the nurses, 48.0% had experienced adverse events in the past 6 months and 79.8% reported having an appropriate performance in adverse events reporting. Teamwork was significantly associated with lower occurrences of adverse events and better adverse events reporting. Specifically, nurses with higher situation monitoring (odds ratio (OR) = 0.47), mutual support (OR = 3.18) and team leadership (OR = 2.09) scores were more likely to report adverse events. Nurses with higher situation monitoring scores were less likely to experience the occurrence of adverse events (OR = 0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses' perception of teamwork was moderate to high. Teamwork was associated with the occurrence and reporting of adverse events. Further study is needed to identify the effects of teamwork training on the learning outcomes, including teamwork, occurrence and the reporting of adverse events among nurses.

IMPLICATIOS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Nursing managers should consider multiple educational strategies including structured teamwork training to improve staff nurses' teamwork competency. Administrative initiatives and quality improvement projects are needed to increase nurses' performance in the reporting of adverse events through an accreditation process.

Psychometric Evaluation of Stress in 17,414 Critical Care Unit Nurses: Effects of Age, Gender, and Working Conditions

Recent events regarding the COVID-19 pandemic have demonstrated the importance of healthcare workers around the world and the stressful working conditions that are often associated with their profession. The severity of stress can be influenced by a number of factors such as age, seniority gender, family status, and position in the wards. Thus, it is important to monitor signs of stress and other psychiatric symptoms in order to understand the mediating factors and guide appropriate interventions. Here, we describe a cross-sectional study of 17,414 nurses from 31 Iranian cities carried out from 2011 to 2015, using a 22-item tool of work stressors. The tool examined interactive, managerial, and situational domains and the main objective was to identify the main background variables associated with the stress of nurses in critical care settings.