CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

I. Rationale

“It’s not stress that kills us; it is our reaction to it”. Job is one of the

main reasons of stress in life. In business where human relationship is more,

the stress is also more. In psychology, stress is defined as being pressured.

Today, the stress caused by job among usual people, health and education

experts and other people which are responsible for aiding and helping people

(including nurses) is very common and is on the top of the issues. According to

Selye, stress is a common human reaction to external unexpected and adverse

factors or in simpler terms, disorder in the system of compatibility of the

human body to the external environment. Stress, up to a certain point, will

improve people’s performance and quality of life because it is healthy and

essential that they should experience challenges within their lives, but if

pressure becomes excessive, it loses its beneficial effect and becomes harmful

since it is the reaction of people under pressure or other types of demands

placed on them and arises when they worry that they cannot cope.

Nursing is an extremely stressful job and high levels of occupational

stress are believed to have negative effects on nurses and organizations.

Occupational stress among nurses is the consequence of exposure to a

combination of working and personal factors. Nurse stress is defined as the

emotional and physical responses resulting from the interruptions between the

nurse and her/ his job environment where the demands of the work exceed

abilities and resources. Work stress in nursing was first assessed in 1960

when Menzies identified four sources of anxiety among nurses: patient care,

decision making, taking responsibility, and change. The nurse’s role has long

been regarded as stress-filled based upon the physical labor, human suffering,

work hours, staffing, and interpersonal relationships that are central to the

work nurses do.

In recent years, nursing studies have found that the causes and

consequences of occupational stress phenomenon are the result of an

imbalance between the individual and the work environment. For example: in

Saudi Arabia, about the challenges facing the nursing profession claimed that

many challenges can cause stress, including poor working commissions, such

as work- family conflict, long working hours, lower patient satisfaction, and

rotating shift. Work overload, emotional demands and work-home conflict are

the major sources of stress. The majority of nurses stated that occupational

stress had a significant negative impact on their mental health and increased

their intention to leave their job. Lack of cooperation from patients and/or their

families all seem to have generated frustration, disappointment, a high level of

stress, and regret which in turn have adversely influenced nurses’ work

satisfaction.

In some hospitals, there was a consensus among staff nurses that

hospital administration does not even listen to their concerns. A study aimed to
assess the association between occupational stress and coping strategies of

Hong Kong nurses working in surgical units. The findings presented the most

common workplace stressors for nurses to be “workload”, “lack of support” and

“inadequate preparation”. Situations which may lead to burnout in the

workplace are: an excessive workload, which is increasing with the faster work

tempo; intense and complex work; insufficient or strict supervision of work; an

inadequate remuneration system; a lack of honesty; value conflicts; hindering

professional development.

The purpose of the study is to determine the different stress- related

factors affecting the work performance of nurses at Luzon Medical Center. This

study will raise the awareness of aspiring nurses, what are the different

obstacles faced by the present nurses.

II. Statement of the Problem:

The purpose of this study is to discover the Stress-Related Factors

Affecting the Work Performance of Nurses in Luzon Medical Center.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following research questions:

1. What are the different stress- related factors affecting the work

performance of nurses at Luzon Medical Center?

2. How are these factors affect the over- all performance of the said

respondents?

3. What tips can be recommended in order to help nurses lessen the impact

of stress during work?

III. Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The research study entitled “Stress – related Factors Affecting the Work

Performance of Nurses in Luzon Medical Center”, will be conducted at Luzon

Medical Center. The respondents will be the nurses of said hospital. This

particular study will merely focus on the factors in relation to stress that

affects their work performance.

IV. Significance of the Study

In discovering the Stress-related factors affecting the work performance

of nurses in Dagupan City, Pangasinan will beneficial to the following groups:

Nurses of Luzon Medical Center. The nurses of the hospital will have a

benefit to this research. It will help them discover the factors that may cause

them stress and how to overcome mental and physical dangers and impact of

it. The nurses will find out if it has effect on their productivity and also, to let

them know how to handle their stress.

Future Researcher. The future researcher will have an idea on how their

research will look like. This research will be the guideline on making the design

and pattern of their research. The knowledge about their research will improve

and enhanced. There is a possibility that can make a research.

V. Definition of Terms

To make the readers understand the study clearly and vividly. The

following will define as the researcher will use and apple in this study.

Stress- is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental, or

emotional adjustments or response.

Nurse- a person trained to provide care for the sick.

Work performance- a kind of evaluation report indicating how well an

employee is executing the expected related work activities.