Relationship between nurse's stress and environmental - occupational factors

Background: Stress is one of the most common psychological issues for nurses. Its management and adaptation with it is vital and important. The National Association of Safety Professionals introduces nursing as a first stressful job among 40 stressful professions. If stress is successive, long, severe, and attempt to cope with it is unsuccessful, it will have a promotional role for diseases and can result in physical and psychological disorders. The aim of this study was to assess relationship between nurse's stress and environmental and occupational factors in Al-Zahra educational-health care center. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 216 nurses. Subjects were selected with random convenience sampling method among nurses working in different wards of Al-Zahra hospital. Data gathering was done with questionnaire contained demographic information and identifying stress level. Data analysis was done in SPSS software using Kruskal- Wallis and Mann-Whiney U tests. Results: Findings showed that 44.4% (93 subjects) had low stress level, 55.1% (118 subjects) had moderate stress level, and 0.5% (5 nurses) had severe stress level. There was no significant correlation with stress level and some demographic information such as age, gender, marriage status, shift wok, overcome work and number of children, but there was significant correlation with stress level and job satisfaction and leisure. Discussion: Study results showed that stress level of nurses working in Al-Zahra hospital was moderate. Responses to this stress can affect nurse-patient relationship in workplace, among this, with appropriate and low-expenses methods can cope with stress and decrease its level. It is recommend that heath care services invest more on exercise and recreational fields.