Stress among Iranian nurses in critical wards

Abstract EN

Background : Stress has been recognized as a significant psychosocial and physiologic component in educational and practical processes.

Objectives : The purpose of present study was to survey stress among Iranian nurses in critical wards.

Patients and Methods : In this cross-sectional study, 3643 anonymous questionnaires were disseminated among nurses in different hospitals in Tehran, Iran, by utilizing multistage random sampling.

The questionnaire consisted of two sections: demographic characteristics and a 22-item list on a five-point Likert scale.

The association of variables with stress was evaluated using hierarchical logistic regression.

Results: A total of 3043 completed questionnaires were completed and returned (response rate, 83.53%).

Age (> 33 years, 1571 (51.63 %); < 33 years old, 1472 (48.37 %)), marital status (single, 188 (6.18 %); married, 2685 (88.24 %); and widow, 170 (5.59 %)), working shift (morning, 605 (19.88 %); evening, 631 (20.74 %); night, 603 (19.82 %); and rotation, 1204 (39.57 %)), and the years of experience of nurses (1 - 5 years, 413 (13.57 %); 6 - 10 years, 589 (19.36 %); 11 - 15 years, 832 (27.34 %); 16 - 20 years, 758 (24.91%); and 21-25 years, 451 (14.82 %)) had significant association with the level of stress (P < 0.05 for all parameters).

However, sex (male, 937 (30.79 %); and female, 2106 (69.21%)), education (associate, 444 (14.59%); baccalaureate, 2250 (73.94%); and master, 349 (11.47 %)), and body mass index (> 24.6 kg/m2, 2514 (49.75 %); and < 24.6 kg/m2, 1529 (50.25 %)) showed no significant association with the level of stress (P > 0.05 for all parameters).

Conclusions: Considering the personal and background characteristics of personnel and understanding their association with stress and stressful situations encompasses the ability to persevere and adapt to contextual stressors.