Threats to Nurses' Health in Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Occupational Health
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Intensive care unit (ICU) work presents unique challenges for nurses.
• Limited qualitative data exists on the specific health problems nurses encounter in ICUs.
• Understanding nurses' experiences is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the multifaceted threats to nurses' health within the ICU environment.
• To identify the specific stressors and challenges impacting ICU nurses' well-being.

Main Methods:

• Conventional qualitative content analysis.
• Purposive sampling of 14 nurses and nursing managers from diverse hospital types in Tehran, Iran.
• 16 in-depth interviews conducted between September and December 2023.

Main Results:

• Six major themes of health threats were identified: social, mental, ethical-spiritual, physical, technological, and environmental.
• Social threats relate to interpersonal relationship difficulties.
• Mental threats stem from psychological stressors in the high-pressure ICU setting.

Conclusions:

• ICU nurses experience a range of health threats, collectively termed 'nurse ICU syndrome' (NICUS).
• These findings underscore the need for policy-maker and hospital manager interventions.
• Educational and support programs are essential for improving ICU nurses' stress management, work conditions, and welfare.