諸多研究顯示護理是高壓力的專業，但至少有研究觸及應屆畢業新進護理人員工作三個月內的工作壓力。本研究目的在探討畢業新進護理人員感受到的工作壓力以及人口學和工作相關特性與工作壓力之間的關係。於2004年時運用橫斷面研究，立意取樣中部某醫院應屆畢業新進護理人員進行結構式問卷調查。全數78位中，75位同意受試，62份有效問卷。結果顯示應屆畢業新進護理人員整體工作壓力感受以工作任務部份最高，人際關係次之，組織管理再次之。前五大壓力源依序為處理病患急救的緊急情況；照顧有傳染病或病因不明的病人；專業術語的聽、說、讀、寫；藥物的名稱、作用不清楚和瀕死病人及家屬之護理。工作年資小於一個月和獨立執行護理工作是兩項統計上的顯著預測因子，可解釋工作壓力總體變異量的31.2％。本研究呈現來自應屆畢業新進護理人員自訴觀點的工作壓力感受及相關因素，可供做新進護理人員訓練及教育計畫之參考。

The nursing profession is highly stressful and has been studied extensively. However, few empirical studies have investigated this issue in newly-graduated nurses working less than three months, especially in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to explore perceived occupational stress in newly-graduated nurses and examined the relationships between stress and demographic and work related characteristics. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2004. The tool was a questionnaire. All newly-graduated nurses who worked less than three months in a hospital in central Taiwan were recruited. Seventy eight nurses were recruited, 75 agreed to participate with permission, and 62 completed the questionnaire. Findings indicated that the major source of occupational stress in newly-graduated nurses were workload, followed by interpersonal relationships, and ward management in turn. The top five stressors are: "dealing with patients' emergency condition", "caring of patients with unknown or infectious disease", "listening, speaking, reading, and writing medical terminology", "not know medications and their effects", and "caring of dying patients and their families." Working less than one month and working independently were significant predictors of occupational stress that account for 31.2% of the total variance. The findings can be used as a basis to develop a training program and an education program for newly-graduated nurses.