Evaluation of the relationship between occupational stress and general health condition in nurses working in Isfahan university hospitals 2005

There are various factors known as occupational stressors in nursing. Occupational stress in nurses can lead to poor nursing care quality as well as causes health problems for them. The current study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between general health, and occupational stress in nurses of Isfahan university hospitals. In this descriptive, correlative study, 170 nurses in various wards of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences hospitals who had entering criteria enrolled in the study. Sampling method was stratified randomized method. The data was obtained by using standardized Toft-Anderson questionnaire and General Health questionnaire (Goldburg) and then were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistic tests. Findings of this study demonstrated that the most of nurses (73.47%) experienced stress at the medium level. Conflicts with physicians had the greatest relationship with the overall severity of occupational stress in nurses. Among the demographic parameters, only marital status and working hours had significant statistical correlation with the severity of stress. (p< 0.001). In addition, a positive statistical correlation was found between occupational stress and General Health scores (p< 0.05). According to the findings of the study, it could be recommended that is possible to prevent and handle nurse's occupational stresses at the personal and organizational level by employing appropriate methods.