Subjective Health Complaints in Registered Nurses: Associations With Select Individual and Organizational Factors

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Subjective health complaints (SHCs)—complaints without objective pathological symptoms—such as headaches and heartburn, have become one of the major reasons for short- and long-term sickness absence from work. Unlike musculoskeletal disorders, existing injury/illness surveillance systems do not capture the degree to which nursing personnel experience specific SHCs. Research has mainly focused on musculoskeletal disorders or combined SHCs under “stress outcomes” or “psychosomatic outcomes” without examining these complaints specifically. This study confirms that the occurrence of substantial SHCs is relatively high and that effective strategies are needed to address these conditions in conjunction with musculoskeletal disorders. Although select individual characteristics examined here may only play a minor role in the onset of SHCs, studies including other lifestyle factors (e.g., alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, and activity) may provide further insight to their impact on SHCs. Additionally, results indicate a need for increased focus on the factors originating from the workplace environment.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Evidence exists regarding the prevalence of and extent to which nurses experience work-related musculoskeletal complaints. However, other types of complaints have not been detailed. Most have fallen under the broad term of “stress outcomes” or “psychosomatic outcomes.” Specific complaints need to be examined and understood to fully comprehend work-related subjective health complaints experienced by registered nurses. Objective: This study sought to determine the frequency of subjective health complaint (SHCs, e.g., headaches, heartburn) beyond musculoskeletal disorders among registered nurses and to investigate associations with select individual and organizational factors (e.g., experience, hospital, care area/service, hospital Magnet® status [American Nurses Credentialing Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA]). Method: Data were collected on 193 registered nurses from three hospitals using questionnaires to assess SHCs. Descriptive statistics and prevalence rates were reported for substantial cases of SHCs, since low-level complaints can be highly prevalent in the general population. Univariate logistic regression was used to identify significant associations between select individual and organizational factors and substantial SHCs. Results: Rates of substantial SHCs ranged from 1.1%–29.1%. The most frequent complaints were diarrhea or irregular bowel function, allergies, heartburn, headaches, and difficulty falling asleep. Individual, hospital, and care service factors had significant associations with substantial SHCs. Although the majority of SHC rates were higher for registered nurses working in non-Magnet hospitals, Magnet status did not have a significant association with these complaints. Conclusions: SHCs other than musculoskeletal complaints are common among registered nurses. Significant associations with individual and organizational characteristics emphasize the multi-causal etiology of health and well-being and provide additional opportunity for intervention efforts to modify certain lifestyle factors and further in-depth study of organizational factors.