Specific stressors relate to nurses' job satisfaction, perceived quality of care, and turnover intention

AIMS: To determine which stressor has the highest occurrence and what stressors are related to nurse outcomes, such as job satisfaction, perceived quality of care, and turnover intention. BACKGROUND: Numerous stressors have been identified in nursing practice, but it is unclear if specific stressors are related to nurse outcomes. DESIGN: The study used a cross-sectional and descriptive-correlational research design. METHODS: In July and August 2017, survey data were collected from 427 staff nurses employed in a large tertiary-level private hospital in Metro Manila, Philippines. The Nursing Stress Scale was used to measure stress frequency. Structural equation modelling was used to determine the relationship of stressors and nurse outcomes. RESULTS: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicate nine Nursing Stress Scale factors. Workload is the most frequent stressor. Moreover, workload was negatively related to job satisfaction and perceived quality of care. Workload and conflict with nurses were positively related to turnover intention. CONCLUSIONS: The Nursing Stress Scale has a different factor structure based on a survey of nurses in the Philippines. Only workload and conflict with nurses were related to specific nurse outcomes. Nurse managers should identify and mitigate stressors experienced by nurses since these can lead to turnover and poor quality of care.