The The Impact of Workload and Emotional Stress on Nursing Care Quality in Baghdad Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of nursing workload and emotional stress on the quality of nursing care delivered in hospitals located in Baghdad Governorate.

Methods and Materials: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and May 2024 in three major hospitals: Al-Naaman Teaching Hospital, Al-Kindi Hospital, and Ibn Al-Nafis Hospital. A purposive sample of 245 nurses and 224 patients was recruited for the study. Data were collected using a two-part, validated questionnaire that addressed nurse workload, emotional factors, and perceived care quality. A panel of 18 experts confirmed the validity; reliability was supported by a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.84, obtained using the split-half method. Descriptive and inferential statistics (SPSS v26) were used for analysis.

Findings: The results showed that 54.5% of nurses experienced a moderate workload, and 26.2% experienced a high workload. Regarding emotional stress, 97.1% of nurses reported a moderate emotional impact, and 2.9% reported a significant impact. Additionally, 72.6% of nurses believed that nursing shortages had a moderate impact on the quality of care, while 15.9% reported a high impact. A significant relationship was found between workload, emotional stress, and nursing care quality (p = 0.019), confirming that workforce strain has a negative impact on patient outcomes.

Conclusion: Workload and emotional stress, exacerbated by nursing shortages, significantly reduce the quality of patient care. Addressing staffing issues and improving nurses’ working conditions is essential to enhancing healthcare delivery and job satisfaction.