title: Real-time assessment of nurse work environment and stress.
abstract: Ecological momentary assessment methods were used to examine real-time relationships between work environment factors and stress in a sample of 119 registered nurses (RNs) in acute and critical care settings of three hospitals. The RNs carried handheld computers for 1 week of work shifts and were randomly surveyed within 90-min intervals to self-report work activity, perceived workload, and stress. Mixed effects linear regression analyses were completed to predict the stress score in the sample. The number of patients assigned significantly predicted stress; the greater the number of assigned patients, the higher the reported stress (p<.01). Age, gender, adult versus pediatric facility type, familiarity with patients, and proportion of direct care tasks were not significant predictors of stress. Further research is needed to link work environment factors and stress with errors among nurses.
authors.affiliation: VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA. martha.shively@va.gov
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shively
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rutledge
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stucky
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Weinger
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dresselhaus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload; D017132:Workplace