The Relationship Between Work Stress Levels and Blood Pressure Values Among Millennial Nurses

Abstract

Millennial nurses played an important role in providing safe, high-quality, and continuous nursing care in hospitals. However, high workloads, shift work, and clinical responsibilities made them more susceptible to work-related stress, which could affect physiological responses, including increased blood pressure. This study aimed to determine the relationship between work stress levels and blood pressure categories among millennial nurses at Sakinah Islamic Hospital Mojokerto. This study used a quantitative correlational analytic design with a cross sectional approach. The sample consisted of 60 millennial nurses who were selected using a non-probability sampling technique with a purposive sampling method. Work stress levels were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42) questionnaire, while blood pressure categories were obtained through blood pressure measurements using a sphygmomanometer following standard procedures. Data were analyzed using the Spearman Rank correlation test with a significance level of α = 0.05. The results showed that nearly half of the respondents (35.0%) experienced moderate work stress, and nearly half (45.0%) had prehypertension. The Spearman Rank test revealed a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05) with a correlation coefficient of 0.832, indicating a statistically significant, very strong, and positive relationship between work stress levels and blood pressure categories among millennial nurses. The findings suggested that higher work stress levels were associated with a greater tendency toward increased blood pressure categories. In conclusion, work stress levels were significantly associated with blood pressure categories among millennial nurses at Sakinah Islamic Hospital Mojokerto. Therefore, hospitals were expected to conduct regular monitoring of work stress, evaluate workload distribution and shift systems, and develop stress management programs to promote nurses' health and maintain the quality of nursing care.