# Stress and fatigue in nurses in critical care units and their association with salivary cortisol

## TL;DR

This study explores how stress and fatigue in critical care nurses relate to cortisol levels, finding higher stress and fatigue in emergency unit nurses.

## Contribution

The study identifies a potential link between morning cortisol secretion and fatigue in critical care nurses.

## Key findings

- 50.8% of nurses showed high stress and 46% showed high fatigue.
- Emergency unit nurses had higher stress/fatigue and lower cortisol during shifts.
- Morning cortisol levels correlated with fatigue (ρ=0.25, p=0.04).

## Abstract

to evaluate the association between stress, fatigue and salivary cortisol levels in nurses working in emergency units (EU) and surgical units (SU).

cross-sectional study conducted in two university hospitals with participation of 66 nurses. The Nursing Stress Inventory and the Fatigue Assessment Scale were applied, and saliva samples were obtained to determine cortisol concentration.

high levels of stress and fatigue were observed in 50.8% and 46% of the professionals, respectively. Nurses in EU had higher levels of stress and fatigue and lower secretion of salivary cortisol during the work shift compared to nurses in the SU, without statistical significance. Cortisol secretion in the morning period was correlated with fatigue (ρ=0.25 and p=0.04).

the results suggest a dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in nurses from the EU and a significant correlation between fatigue and cortisol secretion in the morning period.

avaliar a associação entre estresse, fadiga e níveis de cortisol salivar em enfermeiros de unidades de emergência (UE) e bloco cirúrgico (BC).

estudo transversal conduzido em dois hospitais universitários. Participaram 66 enfermeiros, nos quais foram aplicados o Inventário de Estresse em Enfermeiros e a Escala de Avaliação da Fadiga e obtidas amostras de saliva para determinação da concentração do cortisol.

alto nível de estresse e fadiga foram observados em 50,8% e 46% dos profissionais, respectivamente. Enfermeiros das UE apresentaram maiores níveis de estresse e fadiga e menor secreção de cortisol salivar durante o turno de trabalho em relação aos enfermeiros do BC, sem significância estatística. A secreção de cortisol no período matutino mostrou-se correlacionada com a fadiga (ρ=0,25 e p=0,04).

os resultados sugerem uma desregulação do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-adrenal em enfermeiros das UE e uma correlação significativa entre fadiga e secreção de cortisol no período da manhã.