STRESS AND SUFFERING IN HOSPITAL NURSES: RELATIONSHIP WITH PERSONAL AND WORK VARIABLES AND LIFE HABITS

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the possible associations between stress and suffering with personal, work and lifestyle variables. Method: cross-sectional, quantitative, exploratory, correlational, conducted from June 2019 to February 2020. Data on personal characteristics, life habits and working conditions were obtained with the application of a questionnaire. To assess stress, the Nurses’ Stress Inventory (Inventário de Estresse em Enfermeiros) was used and, for suffering, the Pleasure and Suffering Indicators at Work Scale was applied, both in the Brazilian versions. Results: stress was associated with dissatisfaction with remuneration, indicators of suffering and interest in changing jobs and professions. The comparisons between the indicators of suffering and the domains of stress investigation were significant. Conclusion: the stress experienced in nurses' work activity is strongly influenced by low remuneration, leading them to wish to change jobs and professions. Professional burnout and lack of recognition are stressors that drive defense mechanisms, among them, the desire to change jobs.