The Relationship between Perceived Occupational Pressure with Occupational Accidents among Nurses in ICU

Background : Occupational pressure in nurses, especially in intensive care units, can be associated with a variety of occupational accidents. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perceived job pressure and occupational accidents in nurses in ICUs.  Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in 2018 in ICUs of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Using multi-stage and randomized sampling method 151 nurses with inclusion criteria were studied. The data collection tools were valid and reliable questionnaires of perceived job pressure and occupational hazards. All participants responded to the questionnaires in a two-time interval of three months. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential tests (T-two samples, analysis of variance and linear regression) at the significance level of P <0.05. Findings: After adjusting the effect of potentially confounding variables, linear regression analysis showed that perceived job pressure had a significant increase in incidence of occupational accidents in nurses in intensive care units (P <0.001). With every 10 increase in perceived job pressure, the mean of incidence of occupational accidents increased by 1.3. Conclusion: The findings study showed that perceived job pressure was high in nurses of intensive care units and was related to occupational accidents. In order to prevent nursing staff from harming and improving the quality of nursing care, it is vital to use individual and organizational interventions.