JOB STRESS AND ITS RELATED FACTORS IN NURSES WORKING AT EDUCATIONAL AND MEDICAL CENTERS: A LARGE STUDY FROM IRAN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Nurses are one of the most important elements of health care system that have been in a stressful situation during the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and sources of nurses' occupational stressand identify related factors during this period.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 392 nurses of Rasht educational and medical centers in January to March 2021 selected with stratified random method. Demographic and occupational stress data (by Expanded Nursing Stress Scale questionnaire) werecollected. Data analyses performed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression models with SPSS software version 26.

The mean age of nurses were 37.8±8.8 years old. Stress was mild in 62% of nurses, moderate in 20% and severe in 2%. Death and dying situation (1/78±0/74), uncertainty concerning treatments (1.71±0.72) and workload (1.69±0.68), expressed higher occupational stress. Working in the intensive care units or emergency ward, higher education, excessive hours of work and female gender were independently predictors of more occupational stress and these characteristics determined 15% of the variance of stress scores.

Stress related to the job during the Covid-19 pandemic is high, and stress in the workplace, especially in intensive care units and emergency ward, should be reduced and standard work shifts should be developed. Furthermore, training of stress management in situations of patients’ death and dying, high workload and uncertainty concerning treatment in pandemic conditions for at risk population of nurses should be done.