Stress, quality of life, and related factors of registered nurses providing nursing care to cancer patients at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

Background: Previous studies found that from the nature of work responsibility, the risks from the work of registered nurse (RN) providing nursing care to cancer patients affect stress and the quality of life of registered nurses. Studying stress, quality of life, and factors related to stress and quality of life may be used as a guideline for prevention and reduction of stress and to promote the quality of life of registered nurses who provide nursing care to cancer patients. Objective: To examine the level of stress, the level of quality of life and related factors of registered nurses providing nursing care to cancer patients at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH). Methods: Data were collected from 119 nurses who providing nursing care to cancer patients at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Self-report questionnaires included: 1) general background, 2) job description, 3) factors associated with the stress of work, 4) stress, and 5) World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief - Thai (WHOQOL- BREF-THAI). Results: About half of the subjects had moderate level of work stress, and half of the subjects had normal/mild level of stress and half of the subjects had moderate level of quality of life. The factors related to work stress were age, hours of sleep, adequacy of sleep, affiliated department, and palliative nursing care. The factors related to stress were age, adequacy of sleep, underlying diseases, department, work experience, registered nurse level, target therapy nursing care, and palliative nursing care. The factors related to quality of life were marital status, income, adequacy of income, hours of sleep, adequacy of sleep, underlying disease, department, work experience, shifting, chemotherapy nursing care, and palliative nursing care. Conclusion: Most registered nurses providing nursing care to cancer patients had moderate level of work stress, and normal/mild level of stress and moderate level of quality of life. This study revealed factors related to stress and quality of life. This will help healthcare administrators to be aware and use it as a guideline for stress prevention, to reduce stress and promote registered nurses to have a better quality of life, and work happily and efficiently. Getting adequate sleep and designing work schedules are important to focus for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.