Predictors of stress in neonatal intensive care nurses

Working in neonatal intensive care units (NICU's) can be very stressful to nurses. Increasing attrition rates among nurses have contributed to the growing interest in investigating stressors affecting nurses. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine factors related to stress in NICU nurses. The Neuman Systems model was used as the framework for this study. This study identified factors that are potential stressors and satisfiers in the NICU as reported by nurses in a 600 bed metropolitan hospital in the southeast. The majority of nurses (92.5%) felt that nurse staffing was only rarely or occasionally adequate. The majority of nurses felt that their job was stressful. Most frequent hassles and uplifts among NICU nurses were reported. "Concerns about weight" was the most frequently selected hassle. "Getting love" was the most frequently selected uplift. A positive correlation was found between tenure of nurses and the amount of social support they have. Coping strategies utilized by NICU nurses were identified. Interventions with staff nurses based on the results of this study are discussed. Recommendations for further research are specified.