Qualitative Study on Stress among Nurses Working at Private Sector, in Suburban Kolkata

Job stress can be defined as a harmful physical response that occurs when the job requirement does not match the capabilities, resources or need of the worker, leading to poor health or even injury. Nurses due to their occupation are exposed to high levels of stress due to conflict with higher authorities, colleagues and often patients and their families, dealing with death and dying patient, prolong duty hours and last but not the least, their own families.

To find out common workplace stressors of nursing profession and to explore the personal and family life of nurses working in private sectors, as well as to study prevalence of common stress related illness among nursing personnel.

Three medium sized (100 bedded) privately-managed tertiary care nursing homes at suburban Kolkata, India were selected randomly. Al together 117 nursing personnel consented to participate in this study. Socio-demographic information was collected through interviewing respondents, using pretested questionnaire. In-depth focus group discussions were held for better understanding about work place and family level stressors. Work place stressors were arranged according to ‘Garrett score’.

Understaffed department and over-work, poor salary, no appreciation for good work, conflict with higher authority, fear of making mistake and lack of security of work were identified through ‘garrett ranking’ as major factors for job stress. Anxiety and lack of enthusiasm are common emotional symptom where as gastro-intestinal problems and musculoskeletal problems are identified as common physical illness among nurses. 17.9% of study population considered family level stress was more than work place stress where as 41% opined that job stress disturbed their home life.