The prevalence of occupational stress and associated risk factors among nurses at hospital

Introduction: Occupational stress among nurses is a growing concern in healthcare, particularly in rural settings where resources and staffing are limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of occupational stress and identify associated risk factors among nurses in a public hospital in Lahad Datu, Sabah. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was used, involving 167 registered nurses selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire comprising sociodemographic and work-related questions, along with the validated Nursing Stress Scale (NSS). Results: The results showed that 56.3% of nurses experienced low levels of occupational stress, 41.9% had moderate stress, and only 1.8% reported high stress levels. Among the seven stress domains assessed, the most prominent stressors were workload, death and dying, and interpersonal conflicts. Bivariate analysis using the Chi-square test revealed that work department and work position were significantly associated with stress levels (p < 0.05), while factors such as age, gender, marital status, educational level, and years of experience were not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of work-related factors in contributing to stress nurses and suggests the need for department-specific interventions. The findings provide valuable insight for hospital administrators to implement targeted stress management strategies and inform policy development in rural healthcare settings. Future studies should consider using mixed methods designs and biological assessments such as cortisol levels to enhance the understanding and measurement of occupational stress.