Job Stress andWork Ability Among Emergency Nurses in Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Job stress is one of the most common health problems with clinical and psychological consequences, which can affect work ability among emergency nurses. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to shed light on the status of this disorder and its relevance to work ability in nurses in the emergency departments (EDs). Objectives: The current study aimed to determine job stress among emergency nurses and its association with work ability. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Two hundred nurses who worked in the EDs were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and special scales to assess their job stress and work ability. T-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean job stress and work ability scores were 151.09 +/- 0.01 and 26.9 +/- 8.2, respectively. Fifty-five percent of the subjects had high job stress and fifty-seven percent showed low work ability. A significant indirect correlation was found between job stress and work ability scores in the subjects (P = 0.015). Conclusions: Nurses working in the EDs experience a high level of job stress and low work ability. This may decrease the quality of care and patients' safety. Fulfilling the staff shortage in ED and improving management behaviors are important in this regard.