Relationship, task and system stressors in the health care workplace

Abstract This paper describes the development of the Work Stressors Inventory (WSI), which assesses six types of work stressors within three major domains: relationship, task and system stressors. The WSI was developed on data from 435 staff in 14 long‐term care facilities. Compared with nursing assistants, registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses experienced more work stressors, especially task and system stressors. More experienced staff reported more work stressors than inexperienced staff. Work environments with more work pressure and with less job involvement, supervisor support, clarity and control were associated with more work stressors. As expected, staff who experienced more work stressors reported less job satisfaction and had less intention to stay in their job. In contrast, more patient care task stressors were associated with better job performance. Some research and practical applications of the WSI are presented, including the use of profiles that depict the salient stressors in a specific health care workplace.