© Kamla-Raj 2008
Ethno-Med., 2(2): 143-148 (2008)
Effects of Job Stress on Health, Personal and Work Behaviour
of Nurses in Public Hospitals in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria
J. K. Mojoyinola
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Education,University of Ibadan, Nigeria
E-mail: jkmojoyinola@yahoo.com
KEYWORDS Work load; job control; welfare; psychosocial; needs; patients; social support; efficiency.
ABSTRACT The study investigated the effects of job stress on the physical health, mental health personal and
work behaviours of nurses in public hospitals in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. It aimed at addressing the issue of how
stress at work can be effectively managed, reduced, or prevented by the government and hospital management
boards in order to enhance the health of the nurses, as well as improving their personal and work behaviours. The
study was carried out among 153 nurses working in two public hospitals in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. Expost-facto
research design was adopted for the study. A single questionnaire tagged “Stress Assessment Questionnaire for
Hospital Nurses (SAQFHN) was developed and used for the study. It contains 72 items, measuring demographic
variables, job stress, physical and mental symptoms, personal and work behaviour. Two hypotheses were formulated
and tested in the study, using analysis of variance and independent t-test. The study established that job stress has
significant effect on physical and mental health of the nurses. It also established that there was a significant
difference in personal and work behaviour of highly stressed nurses and less stressed nurses. Based on these findings,
it was recommended that the government (Federal or State) and Hospital Management Boards should improve the
welfare of the nurses. It was also recommended that their morale should be boosted by involving them in policy or
decision-making concerning their welfare or care of their patients. Their salary should be reviewed and that they
should be promoted as at when due.
INTRODUCTION
Stress is an important p