Perioperative nurses' perceptions of stress in the workplace

Stress is a factor that affects nurses on a daily basis and can result in nurses' absenteeism, hostility, and aggression, as well as reduced productivity and efficiency. One hospital in Northeast Florida conducted a quality improvement project with perioperative nurses to determine which of the work situations they encounter are perceived as most stressful and the frequency with which these situations occur. Results from the survey showed that the majority of perioperative nurses found situations that fall into the category "crisis on the job" were the most stressful but occurred least frequently. Many interpersonal relationship factors were identified as stressful, and items in this category occurred frequently.