Psychosocial risk factors perceived by the nursing staff of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Introduction: nursing is a highly stressful profession and working conditions can negatively affect the mental and physical health of workers, especially those working in closed areas such as the neonatal intensive care unit. Objective: to determine the psychosocial risks affecting nurses working in a neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Method: descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study. Forty nurses from a neonatal intensive care unit participated and answered the COPSOQ-ARG instrument to assess psychosocial risks in the work environment. Results: respondents had a mean age of 35,80 years (SD=7,00) and were mostly female (77,50 %), married or in a union (52,50 %), nursing technicians (55,00 %), working weekend and holiday shifts (40,00 %), permanent employees (85,00 %), and working more than one job (52,50 %). The overall mean psychosocial risk score was 45,29 % (SD=11,24). The dimensions with the highest and lowest levels of concern were “interpersonal relationships” and “organization at work”. Conclusions: a moderate level of presence and exposure to psychosocial risks was found in NICU nurses. A higher general level of exposure was found in younger professionals, men and those with more than one job. The implementation of monitoring activities and interventions to minimize psychosocial risks is needed.