Development and Application of Job Stress
Measurement Tool for Infection Control Nurses


Her, Sun
Directed by Prof. Kim, Kye-Ha, Ph.D.
Department of Nursing,
Graduate School of Chosun University


Purpose: This study aims to develop a measurement tool of job stress which fit for occupational characteristics of infection control nurses, test their validity and confidence, and apply them for infection control nurses.
Methods: The participants were 250 infection control nurses who have worked for more than six months for infection control in Korean hospitals which are registered in Korean Association of Infection Control Nurses. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey done from October 30 to November 26, 2012. The data of 212 collected from 145 hospitals were used for the final analysis. The measurement tool developed by this study was used to measure the job stress and was composed of as follows: nine questions on general characteristics, seven on occupational characteristics, and 40 on job stress (10 questions on quantitative workload, 14 on qualitative workload, 8 on interpersonal conflict and 8 organizational factors). The data were analyzed by SPSS PC 18.0 for Windows program using descriptive statistics, Cronbach''s alpha coefficients, item analysis, factor analysis(principal component analysis, Varimax rotation), t-test, One way ANOVA, Scheffe test.
Results: 1. The tool to measure the job stress of the subjects was developed through the steps of bibliographical reviews, developing preparatory questions, and a test of validity and confidence. The finally developed instrument was self-report type consisting of a total of 38 questions: 9 questions on quantitative workload, 13 on qualitative workload, 8 on interpersonal conflict and 8 organizational factors, and five points are given for each question.
2. The Cronbach''s alpha coefficient of the finally developed instrument was .95 and the Cronbach''s alpha coefficients for each area between .84-.90.
3. As a result of analysing the questions, it was discovered that the item-total correlations was above .40 and explanatory dispersion of the four areas were between 60.8-68.5%.
4. The job stress of the subjects were 3.69±0.56 and quantitative workload was 3.83±0.62 points, 3.70±0.64 point for qualitative workload, 3.64±0.64 points for interpersonal conflict and 3.56±0.70 points for organizational factors.
Of the general characteristics of the subjects, according to years of clinical practice and the number of beds, there was a significant difference in job stress. In respect to the job stress according to the years of clinical practice, the group(3.77±0.54) with more than 15 years of clinical practice had more job stress than the group (3.25±0.65) with less than five years of clinical practice(F=3.73, p=.012). According to the number of beds, job stress of the group(3.96±0.43) who worked for the hospital with more than 300 beds and less than 600 beds was significantly higher than that of the other three groups (F=7.00, p<.001).
Of occupational characteristics of the subjects, according to the total number of infection control nurses within the hospitals and the number of full-time infection control nurses, there was a significant difference in job stress.
In respect to the total number of the infection control nurses, the subjects(3.85±0.51) who worked for hospitals with only one infection control nurse had significantly higher job stress than those (3.58±0.59) who worked for hospitals with more than three infection control nurses(F=5.06, p=.007).
For the number of the full-time infection control nurses, the subjects(3.84±0.50) who worked for hospitals with only one full-time infection control nurse had significantly higher job stress than those (3.49±0.61)who worked for hospitals with more than three infection control nurses(F=4.17, p=.007).
Conclusions: As the measurement tool developed in this study consisting of 38 questions on four areas and nine sub-areas had its confidence and validity demonstrated, it is suggested that it can be effectively used to evaluate stress of infection control nurses.

Key words: Stress, Infection control, Nurses, Measurement, Tool