Workplace Stress and Psychological Distress among ICU and Emergency Department Healthcare Workers in North-Central Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments (EDs) face intense occupational stressors that threaten their psychological well-being and the quality of patient care. Empirical data on the prevalence and determinants of workplace stress in North-Central Nigerian tertiary health facilities remain sparse. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of workplace stress and psychological distress, identify contributing factors, assess coping strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of institutional support among ICU and ED HCWs in North-Central Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 419 HCWs recruited from six tertiary health facilities across the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), Niger State, and Kwara State using multistage sampling. Workplace stress was measured with the validated Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10; scores: low 0–13, moderate 14–26, high 27-40). Psychological distress was assessed using an 18-item investigator-designed symptom checklist (scores: no distress 0- 15, mild 16- 31, moderate 32- 47, severe 48- 72). Chi-square tests were used to examine associations between demographic/occupational variables and outcomes (α = 0.05) using IBM SPSS v27.0. Results: The majority of respondents were female (67.1%) and aged 25-35 years (72.6%); nurses constituted 57.3% of participants. Moderate workplace stress was most prevalent (47.7%; 95% CI: 43.0-52.5%), and 23.6% (95% CI: 19.6-27.7%) reported high stress. Severe psychological distress was identified in 11.7% (95% CI: 8.6-14.8%). Insufficient time (58.0%) and work–life imbalance (55.1%) were the leading contributing factors. Religious coping predominated (89.0%); only 43.9% felt supported by management. All five chi-square hypotheses were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Workplace stress and psychological distress are prevalent among ICU and ED HCWs in North-Central Nigeria, with nurses and younger workers disproportionately affected. Multi-level institutional responses encompassing workload management, accessible mental health services, and supportive management are urgently required.