Work-related stress in intensive care unit night shift nurses: A cross-sectional analysis of prevalence and determinants

BACKGROUND: Night-shift ICU nurses are highly vulnerable to work-related stress, impacting performance, patient safety, and burnout risk. AIM: To assess the prevalence and sources of work-related stress among ICU nurses working night shifts and to explore the relationships between stress levels and selected demographic and professional variables. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 362 ICU nurses working at Mansoura University Hospitals. Participants completed a two-part questionnaire comprising a nurses' demographic data sheet and a validated Arabic version of the Revised Nursing Stress Scale (RNSS). Data were collected via a Google Form between January 10, 2025, and April 30, 2025, and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0, employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and reliability testing. RESULTS: Nearly 60% of participants reported moderate to high levels of stress. The highest stress scores were associated with workload, interactions with patients and their families, and supervisory issues. Female nurses reported significantly higher stress levels related to death and dying, patient-family interactions, and discrimination (p < 0.05). Nurses with less than five years of experience reported significantly greater stress concerning uncertainty about treatment. No significant associations were found between overall stress levels and variables such as age, marital status, educational level, or frequency of night shifts. CONCLUSION: Work-related stress is highly prevalent among ICU nurses working night shifts, primarily driven by heavy workloads and interpersonal challenges. Stress levels vary significantly by gender and years of experience, underscoring the need for organizational interventions, such as staff support programs, training, and effective shift management, to mitigate stress and improve the quality of care. Future research is warranted to conduct longitudinal assessments of stress and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions across diverse healthcare settings.