Social correlates of satisfaction and stress among Israeli nurses within intensive coronary care units (I.C.C.U.s)

This study focuses on job satisfaction and work-related stress of nurses within the Israeli I.C.C.U.--a complex technological environment. The main purpose was to assess the contribution of multiple factors which may be associated with the nurses' level of satisfaction and stress. These factors include personal characteristics and professional attributes of the nurse, as well as some objective and subjective characteristics of their work setting. In general, with the exception of income, nurses are satisfied. Stress presents a big problem in the I.C.C.U. Structure of work was found to be correlated with satisfaction, but only partially with stress. It was deduced that nurses are willing to 'pay the price' of professionalization: to work under stress and yet be autonomous, take responsibility for work decisions, and be highly involved in work, thus gaining satisfaction.