Occupational Stress towards Caring Behavior of Nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) During Pandemic Covid-19

Abstract

Introduction: The emergence of occupational stress in the intensive care unit (ICU) during pandemic covid-19 will impact nurses' physiological, psychological, and performance. The psychological condition of nurses may influence the caring behavior of nurses towards patients. This study aimed to determine the relationship between occupational stress and the caring behavior of nurses in the ICU. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional research, conducted in a hospital in Lumajang District, East Java, Indonesia. There were twenty-eight nurses as the study sample obtained by a total sampling technique. The research instruments used Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS) and caring Behavior Inventory-24 (CBI-24). The data analysis using Kendall-Tau with 95 % CI. Results: The results showed that most nurses experienced occupational stress with a median of 81 (min-max: 1-141) and caring behavior with a mean value of 132,11 (± SD: 4,864). There was a significant relationship between work stress and nurses' caring behavior (p= <0.001, r= -0.636, α: 0.05). The correlation coefficient was -636, which means a strong relationship with a negative relationship between nurse work stress and nurses' caring behavior. Therefore, if the Nurse's work stress is low, the Nurse's caring behavior will be good, and vice versa. Conclusions: The work stress will decrease the nurses' caring. Hence, it is crucial in managing the ICU's condition to reduce nurses' stress. Besides, nurses are expected to handle their stress to optimize their caring behavior.