THE MEDIATING ROLE OF STRESS TOLERANCE BETWEEN WORK STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE SERVICE DELIVERY AMONG HEALTH WORKERS OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER MAKURDI, BENUE STATE-NIGERIA

¹Kwahar Nguwasen &²Onov Phillip

¹Department of Business Administration, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi

²Department of Economics, Benue State University, Makurdi

E-mail: ngu.kwahar@gmail.com/phixoyoung@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted on the mediating role of stress tolerance between work stress management and employee service delivery among employees of Federal Medical Centre Makurdi Benue State. The population of the study comprised all medical staff of FMC Makurdi, comprising medical Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists and Laboratory Scientists who sum up to a total population of 1, 214. The sample of 300 was selected from the target population: 29 medical Doctors, 18 Laboratory Scientists, 231 Nurses and 22 Pharmacists. Four instruments were used for data collection: work stress scale (alpa=0.86), stress management scale (Alpha =0.90)stress tolerance scale (Alpha =0.76) and employee service delivery scale (Alpha =0.83).  Linear regression and path analyses were for data analysis. Results of regression showed that stress management has significant effect on employee service delivery; employee service delivery is significantly predicted by work stress management (.175**, p≤.01), stress tolerance (.158**, p≤.01) and the mediating role of stress tolerance in the effect of work stress management on employee service delivery (.153**, p≤.01). Path Analysis showed that direct effect from work stress management to employee service delivery was 0.158, the strength of the indirect effect was 0.238. The strength of the indirect effect being higher than that of the direct effect confirming that the effect of stress management on employee service delivery is better enhanced through stress tolerance. The strength of the total effect was 0.396.The mediator effect was significant hence stress tolerance is a partial mediator in the effect of work stress management on employee service delivery among employees of Federal Medical Centre Makurdi. The study recommended that the apart from stress management techniques  management techniques such providing platforms for  positive working attitude, being assertive instead of aggressive, as well as learning and practicing relaxation techniques (therefore recreational activities), Medical institutions should also inculcate stress tolerance techniques such as promoting staff resourcefulness/optimistic disposition towards new experiences or towards change in general, being able to come up with suitable methods, knowing what to do and how to do it, , and toward own ability to successfully overcome the specific problem at hand.

Keywords: Stress management, Stress Tolerance, Employee Service Delivery, Mediation. Federal Medical Centre