Quality of life at work and symptoms of work stress among nurses in Ecuador

Nurses play a fundamental role in the functioning of health systems, and their work is crucial to provide quality medical care. The well-being of nurses is directly proportional to the quality of care they provide to patients. Therefore, guaranteeing a satisfactory quality of life at work (QOL) for them increases the willingness and security of health care in general. The objective of the study was to analyze the relationship between the quality of life at work and the symptoms of work stress in nurses from three public hospitals in Quito, Ecuador. The research approach was quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational. The sample was 217 nurses. Two questionnaires were applied: the Work Quality Questionnaire (CVT) and the Stress Assessment Questionnaire III Edition. It was found that 61.3% of the nurses presented "low level" of TVC and 80.6% "very high" levels of work stress. The study showed the significant association between the QOL of the nurses and the symptoms of work stress, raising the urgent need to address strategies to improve QOL, and management and control of stress in a comprehensive manner.