Occupational stress in nursing professionals of a university hospital

To identify the presence of occupational stress in nursing professionals of a university hospital in the inlands of the state of Minas Gerais and examine influence of sociodemographic and occupational characteristics in this disease.

Methods:

Cross-sectional, exploratory and quantitative study with 124 professional nurses from a university hospital in the inlands of the state of Minas Gerais. The adapted and validated Portuguese version of the Job Stress Scale (JSS) was used for the performance of the study.

Results:

Most professionals were women (87.9%) with a mean age of 40.2 years, 80.6% were nursing technicians and 71.8% of the sample had some degree of exposure to occupational stress.

Conclusions:

The occupational stress index was higher than that observed in previous studies. Data obtained in the study point to the need to implement institutional measures for the prevention of occupational stress, especially by strengthening social support at work.

Descriptors:
Nursing Team; Occupational Stress; University Hospital; Nursing Professionals; Occupational Health

		n	%
Position	Nursing assistants	15	12.1
	Nursing technicians	85	68.5
	Nurses	24	19.4
Educational level	High school	46	37.1
	Superior education	38	30.6
	Postgraduation	40	32.3
Time since graduation	Up to 5 years	6	5.0
	6 to 10 years	39	32.5
	11 to 15 years	28	23.3
	16 to 20 years	25	20.8
	More than 21 years	22	18.3
Weekly workload^* * There is no regulation of the state's regional nurse board on the maximum weekly workload;	36 hours	89	72.4
	40 hours	34	27.6
Work shift	Morning	25	20.1
	Evening	38	30.6
	Night	61	49.2
Working time at the institution	Up to 5 years	63	51.2
	6 to 10 years	16	13.0
	11 to 15 years	16	13.0
	16 to 20 years	13	10.6
	More than 21 years	15	12.2
Salary^ Minimum wage in force during the data collection period.	Up to 2 minimum wages	10	8.2
	2 to 5 minimum wages	79	64.7
	5 to 10 minimum wages	31	25.4
	More than 10 minimum wages	2	1.6
Presence of another employment engagement	Yes	15	12.2
Presence of another employment engagement	No	108	87.8

	Exposure to stress				p value
	Yes		No
	n	%	n	%
Work department					0.07
Wards	34	79.1	9	20.9
ICU	20	55.6	16	44.4
Surgical area	16	88.9	2	11.1
Emergency Department	13	72.2	5	27.8
Center of Sterilized Material	5	62.5	3	37.5

		Exposure to stress				PR (CI)	OR (CI)	p value
		Yes		No
		n	%	n	%
Sex	Male	11	73.3	4	26.7	1.02 (0.74 - 1.42)	1.09 (0.32 - 3.69)	0.89
	Female	78	71.6	31	28.4	1.02 (0.74 - 1.42)	1.09 (0.32 - 3.69)	0.89
Partner	No	42	72.4	16	27.6	1.02 (0.81 - 1.27)	1.06 (0.48 - 2.32)	0.88
	Yes	47	71.2	19	28.8	1.02 (0.81 - 1.27)	1.06 (0.48 - 2.32)	0.88
Children	Yes	66	73.3	24	26.7	1.10 (0.84 - 1.44)	1.37 (0.58 - 3.25)	0.47
	No	22	66.7	11	33.3	1.10 (0.84 - 1.44)	1.37 (0.58 - 3.25)	0.47
Schooling of the position	Superior education	20	83.3	4	16.7	1.21 (0.97 - 1.51)	2.25 (0.71 - 7.12)	0.16
	High school	69	69.0	31	31.0	1.21 (0.97 - 1.51)	2.25 (0.71 - 7.12)	0.16
Work regime	Public servant	29	80.6	7	19.4	1.18 (0.95 - 1.46)	1.93 (0.76 - 4.95)	0.16
	Formal contract	60	68.2	28	31.8	1.18 (0.95 - 1.46)	1.93 (0.76 - 4.95)	0.16
Other engagement	Yes	12	80.0	3	20.0	1.14 (0.86 - 1.51)	1.68 (0.45 - 6.37)	0.44
	No	76	70.4	32	29.6	1.14 (0.86 - 1.51)	1.68 (0.45 - 6.37)	0.44
Work shift	Night	45	73.8	16	26.2	1.06 (0.85 - 1.32)	1.21 (0.55 - 2.66)	0.63
	Day	44	69.8	19	30.2	1.06 (0.85 - 1.32)	1.21 (0.55 - 2.66)	0.63
Weekly workload	More than 36 hours	26	76.5	8	23.5	1.10 (0.87 - 1.38)	1.41 (0.57 - 3.52)	0.45
	Up to 36 hours	62	69.7	27	30.3	1.10 (0.87 - 1.38)	1.41 (0.57 - 3.52)	0.45
Work department	Other departments	68	78.2	19	21.8	1.41 (1.03 - 1.92)	2.86 (1.25 - 6.57)	0.01
	ICU	20	55.6	16	44.4	1.41 (1.03 - 1.92)	2.86 (1.25 - 6.57)	0.01
Social support	Low	40	85.1	7	14.9	1.37 (1.10 - 1.70)	3.48 (1.37 - 8.82)	0.01
	High	46	62.2	28	37.8	1.37 (1.10 - 1.70)	3.48 (1.37 - 8.82)	0.01

	Variables	OR* (CI)	p value^*
Sex	Male	1.50 (0.40 - 5.66)	0.55
	Female	1.50 (0.40 - 5.66)	0.55
Educational level of the position	Superior education	1.89 (0.55 - 6.47)	0.31
Educational level of the position	High school	1.89 (0.55 - 6.47)	0.31
Other engagement	Yes	2.24 (0.49 - 10.31)	0.30
	No	2.24 (0.49 - 10.31)	0.30
Work shift	Night	1.56 (0.63 - 3.87)	0.34
	Day	1.56 (0.63 - 3.87)	0.34
Work department	Other departments	3.91 (1.49 - 10.25)	0.01
	ICU	3.91 (1.49 - 10.25)	0.01
Social support	Low	3.60 (1.34 - 9.68)	0.01
	High	3.60 (1.34 - 9.68)	0.01

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[1] Corresponding Author: Lucas Carvalho Santana E-mail: lucas_enfer@hotmail.com