AbstractIntroduction: The term stress has been commonly applied these days, the number of people who define themselves as stressed, or who consider others in varied situations as stressed, increases day after day. Stress has been the growing concern among health care professionals, especially nurses.
Objectives: The main objectives of study were to assess workplace stress in staff nurses, to assess the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among staff nurses and to identify the difference in workplace stress level and psychiatric morbidity among male and female staff nurses.
Methods: A cross sectional study design was adopted on 50 female and 50 male staff nurses of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, selected through convenience sampling technique. A structured questionnaire to assess level of work place stress among staff nurses and gender difference in stress at work place and structured questionnaire to assess psychiatric morbidity were used. Data gathered were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Majority of staff nurses had moderate level of stress, that is 62% female and 62% male staff nurses had moderate level of work place stress. 24% female staff nurses and 20% male staff nurses had severe level of work place stress.14% female staff nurses had mild level of stress whereas in case of male staff nurses it showed that 18% had mild level of stress. There is no gender difference in work place stress. None of female staff nurse and none of male staff nurse reported any psychiatric morbidity.
Conclusion: The study concluded that both male and female staff nurses face moderate level of stress. None of staff nurses reported worse mental health. Further research must be undertaken to investigate stress management techniques to surpass their work place stress.