Factors associated with workplace stress and health promotion behaviours among Chinese emergency nurses: A cross-sectional study

The aimTo explore and describe workplace stress levels and health-promoting behaviours reported by emergency nurses in China, and to investigate factors associated with workplace stress and health-promoting lifestyle behaviours among emergency nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2019 and January 2020. Nurses (n = 1565) were recruited from the emergency departments of 54 hospitals within the Sichuan Province of West China. Each subject completed the Chinese versions of the Nurse Workplace Stress Scale, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II) and demographic questions. Linear regression analyses were used to identify associations between workplace stress and the health-promoting lifestyle and risk factors correlated with these two measurements.ResultsWorkplace stress was negatively associated with health-promoting behaviours. Linear regression analysis showed that gender, marital status, whether wages met expected standards and professional rank were found to be associated with health promotion behaviours; marital status, whether income met expected standards, the number of night shifts per month and health promotion behaviours were found to be associated with workplace stress.ConclusionHigher levels of workplace stress are associated with lower levels of engagement in health-promoting behaviours, suggesting the potential for reducing workplace stress through the adoption of healthier habits. Policies should prioritize workplace stress by promoting healthy lifestyle initiatives. What is already known about this topic? Emergency nurses experience high levels of workplace stress. Excessive long-term stress may result in physical and mental illnesses. The health and quality of life of emergency nurses are profoundly affected by these stressors, and their health status is directly related to the efficiency and quality of their nursing work. Very little research has been conducted on the relationship between workplace stress and health-promoting lifestyle behaviours in emergency nurses.What this paper adds? Workplace stress was negatively associated with health-promoting behaviours. Married female nurses, those who did not receive the expected income, and those with lower professional ranks were found to be less likely to engage in health-promoting behaviours. Interventions to reduce nurses' workplace stress should prioritize the promotion of health-promoting behaviours.The implications of this paper: Hospital managers should implement active and effective measures in the nursing management of emergency departments to alleviate work pressure on nurses and encourage their healthy lifestyles. The introduction of a flexible scheduling system, taking into account night shift arrangements, can significantly reduce workplace stress caused by the number of night shifts per month. Improving the working environment for emergency nurses by providing easy access to affordable and nutritious meals and snacks and organizing physical activity can reduce stress.