The effect of psychological stress on job satisfaction among intensive care nurses

Nurses in intensive care (ICU) wards often experience a wide range of stressful situations. Excessive work stress influences nurses’ physical and mental health and declines their life quality and the ability to work. High psychological stress can cause job dissatisfaction and job strain. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of psychological stress on job satisfaction among ICU nurses. This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 402 nurses in the ICU of the teaching hospitals in Kerman and Babo in Iran from September 2016 to March 2017. Data were gathered by the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and analyzed by logistic regression and ANOVA using SPSS 18. Significant relations were found between job satisfaction and some dimensions of JCQ such as psychological and physical demands, discretionary and binding decisions (autonomy in nursing), supervisor support and co-worker support. As the score of autonomous decisions and supervisor support increased, the chance of job satisfaction increased 2.33 and 1.56 times respectively. In addition, nurses with passive jobs and low job strain were more satisfied than the ones with active jobs and high job strain (P = 0.012). More satisfaction in ICU nurses can be achieved by involving nurses in decision making and supporting them through their supervisors, alongside with reducing nurses’ psychological and physical needs through increasing the number of nurses in different wards.