Subjective Workload Perception and Coping Strategies: A Cross-Sectional Study of Polish Nurses

Background/Objectives: Subjective workload perception is an important occupational factor associated with nurses' well-being, job satisfaction, and the quality of healthcare delivery. This study aimed to assess subjective workload perception in Polish nurses, identify their preferred coping strategies, and examine the associations between subjective workload perception, coping strategies, and selected sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 514 Polish nurses working in inpatient and outpatient healthcare settings. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire comprising the Meister Questionnaire, the Brief-COPE Inventory, and items on sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. The 14 original Brief-COPE subscales were analyzed individually and additionally grouped for complementary analyses into problem-focused coping (active coping, planning, and instrumental support), emotion-focused coping (acceptance, emotional support, humor, positive reframing, and religion), and dysfunctional coping (behavioral disengagement, denial, self-distraction, self-blame, substance use, and venting). Group differences and associations were examined using non-parametric tests, Spearman's rank correlations with Holm correction, and multivariable linear regression adjusted for sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. Results: Nurses' responses indicated a level of psychological workload at which temporary changes in subjective well-being and/or work performance may regularly occur. Time pressure, high responsibility, nervousness, fatigue, and long-term work tolerability were particularly prominent aspects of psychological workload. Inferential comparisons of individual psychological workload scores showed no statistically significant between-group differences across the examined sociodemographic or occupational characteristics. Among individual coping strategies, emotional support showed the strongest inverse association with psychological workload (B = -1.73, 95% CI: -2.40 to -1.06, p < 0.001), whereas substance use showed the strongest positive association (B = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.46 to 1.55, p < 0.001). In complementary analyses, problem-focused coping was associated with lower psychological workload (B = -0.55, 95% CI: -0.78 to -0.32, p < 0.001), whereas dysfunctional coping was associated with higher workload (B = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.69, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings indicate that coping should be considered in relation to perceived psychological workload; however, the cross-sectional design precludes conclusions regarding causality.