A comprehensive study on stressors and their impact among the nursing staff in the intensive care units of a prominent hospital in Ludhiana, Punjab

The intensive care unit is increasingly recognized as a challenging environment for nursing professionals, impacting their well-being and work-life quality. Despite this, there is currently a lack of research data quantifying the specific stress factors perceived by ICU nurses. This study aimed to gain insight into the nature of stressors and their impacts on staff nurses and to develop guidelines for addressing these stressors. The researcher employed a non-experimental research design and conducted the study in the ICUs of Christian Medical College - Ludhiana, Punjab. Using a purposive sampling technique, 100 staff nurses were selected. A rating scale was developed to assess the effects of stressors, comprising 16 statements divided into physical and psychological effects. Data was collected in February 2016 using self-reporting questionnaires. The data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that staff nurses experienced a moderate level of stressors, with interpersonal stressors scoring the highest. The study revealed a direct association between stressors and their effects, as an increase in stressors led to an increase in their effects. The relationship between stressors and their effects with variables such as marital status, residential area, and professional qualification, as well as the effects of stressors with gender, number of children, and marital status, was found to be statistically significant. In conclusion, the study suggested that guidelines be developed for managing stressors and their effects, given that a considerable number of staff nurses face a moderate level of stressors.