ASSOCIATION BETWEEN WORKLOAD AND WORK STRESS AMONG NURSES WORKING IN INPATIENT WARDS

Abstract

Nurses play a vital role in delivering continuous patient care, making them vulnerable to high job demands and occupational stress. Factors such as excessive workload, nurse–patient imbalance, responsibility for patient safety, and the need to maintain high-quality care may contribute to increased work stress. This study aimed to examine the association between workload and work stress among nurses working in the inpatient wards of RSI Sakinah Mojokerto. A correlational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted involving 87 nurses selected through purposive sampling. Workload and work stress were assessed using the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS), respectively. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s rho (α = 0.05). Most participants experienced moderate workload (79.3%) and moderate work stress (75.9%). Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between workload and work stress (r = 0.354, p = 0.001), indicating that higher workload was associated with greater work stress. Effective workload management may help reduce nurses’ occupational stress and improve nursing care quality.