Nurses' stress factors in the intensive care unit.

To identify the origins to stress as preceived by ICU nurses, stressful situations in the intensive care unit were identified and ICU nurses were asked to rank order them. Situations pertaining to the physical workload, death of a patient, and communication problems with physicians and nursing administrators were ranked most highly stressful. Nursing educators and nursing administrators can make changes and adjustments to lessen these stressors.