Occupational stress in pediatric nurses: Physical and psychological manifestations

Abstract

Objective: to verify the presence of occupational stress in pediatric nurses and analyze the physical and psychological manifestations of stress. Method: quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study involving 22 nurses from pediatric inpatient services of a public hospital located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A structured instrument was used to characterize the sample; to check for the presence of stress, the Symptoms of Stress Inventory (ISS-Lipp) was used. Results: the sample mostly consisted of women, with more than one employment relationship, working in a shift system and working over 40 hours per week. The presence of stress was identified in the sample. The phases of exhaustion and resistance were the most prevalent in view of the psychological and physical manifestations verified. Conclusion: the sample revealed a high level of stress whose illness is already present, considering the manifestations in the phase of exhaustion.