Professional Quality of Life and Job Stress among Nurses in COVID-19 Areas

Background: the COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges in the healthcare field, notably affecting nursing professionals working in critical areas. These challenges have impacted their professional quality of life (PQoL) and increased job stress levels, which are crucial for both the well-being of healthcare personnel and the quality of care provided to patients. Objective: this study aims to explore the relationship between professional quality of life and job stress among nurses at a medium-complexity hospital in Lima, Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational methodology was used, with a non-probabilistic sample of 59 nurses. Data were collected through online questionnaires assessing PQoL and job stress, using validated tools such as the Nursing Stress Scale and the PQoL-35 Questionnaire. Results: the majority of participants (69,5 %) perceive their PQoL as good, highlighting high levels of intrinsic motivation and perceived quality of life. In contrast, workload was the most negatively valued aspect. Job stress was perceived as low overall, and a moderate positive correlation between PQoL and job stress (r = 0,517; p < 0,05) was found, suggesting that better working conditions could improve PQoL. Workload was identified as a significant factor of job stress. Conclusions: despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic, nurses maintain a positive perception of their PQoL, especially in terms of intrinsic motivation and perceived quality of life. However, workload is highlighted as a critical factor of job stress.