Exploring Work-related Anxiety Among Newly Graduated Nurses in the Riyadh Region

Abstract

Background: Work-related anxiety among nurses has been linked to various issues, including a heavy workload, work-related conflict, a  lack of resources, and stress. This research aims to explore work-related anxiety among recently graduated nurses in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh region.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and relational research design examined work-related anxiety among newly graduated nurses. A  sample of 400 nurses was recruited from five Saudi hospitals in the Riyadh region. This study used the job anxiety scale ( JAS) as a study  tool. The tool is a self-rating scale of 70 items for assessing job anxiety but only 25 items were applied to this research. A self- administered questionnaire was used to gather demographic information.

Results: This study revealed that there was, overall, low work-related anxiety among the nurse participants. On the one hand, age,  gender, educational qualification, job experience, workplace, and work scheduling (hours per week) were found to impact work-related  anxiety substantially. On the other hand, work position, nationality, unit of care, and marital status were found to play no significant role  in work-related anxiety.

Conclusion: The study’s findings indicate the importance of paying more attention to workplace anxiety. As  anxiety may affect nurses’ ability to attend to the needs of patients in their care units, addressing it can reduce burnout and the desire to quit. Changes in work processes, care models, and leadership may be effective in creating a supportive environment that decreases  stress and anxiety, promote learning, and provides patients with optimal and safe nursing care. Health policymakers and nurse managers  in Saudi Arabia should develop particular intervention programs to reduce work-related anxiety among newly graduated  nurses. Managers must seek techniques that help to adapt the present environment to the needs of nurses, as well as approaches that  offer newly graduating nurses essential assistance, such as clinical supervision.