Occupational stress and cognitive overload are persistent challenges for nurses, particularly within ward rooms of Level 3 hospitals in the Philippines, where they are linked to compromised patient safety and nurse burnout. This study assessed and compared these factors among staff nurses in the inpatient departments (IPD) of Level 3 public and private hospitals in the National Capital Region. Using a quantitative, subject-comparative research design, data were gathered from 134 registered nurses through the nine latent domains of the Revised Nursing Stress Scale (RNSS), which was modified to include a tenth domain: compensation and benefits, due to its relevance in local literature.   Descriptive statistics identified "Workload" as the primary stressor for nurses in both hospital types, followed by "Patients and Their Families" and "Death and Dying of Patients". The Mann-Whitney U Test revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the two sectors in six domains: workload, conflict with providers, problems with peers, problems with supervisors, patients and their families, and discrimination. Notably, private hospital nurses reported higher mean ranks for stress in five of the six significant domains, including workload and interprofessional conflicts. Conversely, no significant differences were found regarding compensation and benefits, inadequate preparation, uncertainty concerning treatment, or death and dying. These results highlight how organizational structures and management styles significantly influence nursing stress. The study recommends that hospitals implement targeted, evidence-based interventions—such as workload management strategies, resilience training, and structured communication programs—to optimize nurse well-being and healthcare delivery.

Keywords

Occupational stress, cognitive overload, staff nurses, public level 3 hospitals, private level 3 hospitals