Factors of stress amongst nurses working in a medical ward

Abstract

Nursing is acknowledged to be a stressful occupation. In Malta evidence to support this claim is limited due to the lack of valid and reliable research done in this area. Research also suggests that high levels of stress are not healthy for individuals. The environment in which medical nurses work consists of various situations that the nurses can perceive as stressful. This led the student researcher to carry out a small-scale study to explore the sources and levels of occupational stress amongst nurses working in medical wards. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was carried out using quantitative data obtained through self-administered questionnaires. The 'Nursing Stress Scale' by Gray-Toft & Anderson (1981) was the tool used to examine perceived sources of stress whilst the "Stress Checklist' by Breakwell (1990) was the tool used to find the level of occupational stress. A convenience sample of 30 nurses participated in the study. The sources, which the nurses perceived most stressful, were identified along with the levels of stress. The findings indicate that workload was found to be the most highly perceived source of stress followed by caring for the dying patient. Some perceived sources of stress were found to be related to gender and work experience. On the whole the majority of nurses were found to have a normal level of occupational stress. Stress levels were found to be related to factors such as gender, work experience, nursing grade, and work schedules. The project includes a discussion of findings which were then used to draw up recommendations for practice and further research.