Workplace Stress and Employee Performance Among Nurses in University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State

This study investigates the relationship between workplace stress and employee performance among nursing staff at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State, a prominent healthcare institution in Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone. Healthcare workers, particularly nurses, are among the most stress-prone employee categories globally, and persistent occupational stress has documented consequences for both personal wellbeing and patient care quality. This research employs a descriptive survey design with 130 nurses as respondents, selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires incorporating validated stress and performance measurement scales. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis. The study examines stress sources including workload overload, interpersonal conflicts, role ambiguity, inadequate staffing, and poor management support. Results reveal that workload overload and inadequate staffing are the most prevalent and impactful stress drivers, with significant negative correlations with task quality, punctuality, and error reduction performance indicators. Management support was identified as a key moderating variable, with nurses who reported higher managerial support showing comparatively better performance despite similar stress exposure. The paper recommends that hospital management in Kwara State address nursing shortages through targeted recruitment, institutionalise structured stress management programmes, and improve supervisory support systems. Keywords: workplace stress, employee performance, nursing staff, healthcare management, Kwara State.