Abstract:
Background: Unmanaged stress leads to high levels of employee dissatisfaction, illness,
absenteeism, high turnover, and decreased productivity which compromise provision of
quality service to clients. Nursing, by virtue of its nature, is a profession subjected to high
degree of stress. Occupational stress exists in all professions, but nurses appear to
experience more stress at work compared to other health care workers. However there is
paucity of information on nurses’ Job stress in Jimma zone public hospital nurses. Hence this
study would contribute its own share through providing home based findings.
Objective: To assess job related stress among nurses working in Jimma Zone public
hospitals, South-West Ethiopia, 2014.
Method: Institution based cross sectional study was conducted from March 10 to April 10,
2014 through census on nurses who are working in Jimma Zone public hospitals using
English version structured self-administered questionnaire. IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20
used, the data summarized, organized in tables, graphs and described with percentage mean
scores. Independent t-test, ANOVA, linear & multiple regressions used.
Result: A total of 341 nurses working in Jimma Zone public hospitals given the
questionnaire, response rate was 92.3% (315).This study indicated average overall job
related stress level of 58.46 12.62.One third of nurses had high stress. The highest level of
job related stress was on the subscale of dealing with death & dying with percentage mean
score of 62.94 followed by uncertainty regarding patient treatment 57.72 and workload 57.6.
While job related stress from sexual harassment had the lowest percentage mean score of
46.19. Social support & plan-ful problem solving were the most preferred stress management
mechanisms while escape-avoidance coping strategy least used.
Conclusion: Overall job related stress varies across working unit. Working in chronic
illness follow-up clinic, Mutual understanding at work between nurse & physician and Job
satisfaction were negatively associated predictors of job related stress. While working in
OPD & escape-avoidance coping strategy (mal-adaptive coping approach) were negatively
associated predictors of job related stress. Jimma Zone public hospitals managers shall hire
adequate number of nurses as well as allocating nurses in the units (departments) with
consideration of workload of units.
