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NCT Number: NCT07247708

Mizzou Nurse Workload and Well-Being Study

This observational study will evaluate the feasibility of linking nursing workload to burnout and physiological well-being among acute care nurses. Researchers will collect data from three sources: hospital workforce management software, wearable health devices (Oura Rings), and validated surveys. Fifty nurses from intensive care and medical-surgical units at a level one trauma center will participate. The study will also include interviews to better understand workplace stressors. Findings will help identify patterns that contribute to burnout and guide the development of future interventions to support nurse well-being and improve workforce retention.

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Key information

Conditions

Burnout, Healthcare Workers Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout, Psychological Nursing Workload Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri, 65211, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • RN participants must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Must be a credentialed registered nurse (RN) working fulltime (≥0.75 FTE) in the MUHC University Hospital on the surgical or cardiac ICUs, surgical specialties, or the cardiovascular unit.
  • Must own a smart phone capable of supporting latest version of the Oura app with internet connectivity (Apple iOS15 and higher; Android 8.0 and higher with Google Play services) and Bluetooth 4.0.
  • Ability to wear an Oura ring daily, 7 days/ week (at least 22 hours/day), and adhere to study procedures.
  • Able to complete informed consenting procedures.

Exclusion criteria

  • Known allergy or sensitivity to components of Oura ring.
  • RNs working part-time or per diem
  • Travel nurses
  • Known allergies to the Oura ring
  • Ring finger sizes incompatible with Oura Ring Gen 3 sizes

Treatment and study plan

Multimethod data collection

Other

Participants will contribute data through three integrated sources: workload metrics (workforce management software to assess patient acuity and shift characteristics); biometric monitoring (physiological data collected via the Oura Ring); and self-report surveys and semi-structured interviews.

Other names: Mizzou Nurse Workload and Well-Being Study

Primary outcomes

  1. Acceptability

    Time frame: Enrollment

    Acceptability is evaluated based on the number of people who were approached to participate in the study compared to the number of people who agreed to participate. Reported as a percentage rate.

  2. Data completion rate

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as percentage rate of complete data obtained at baseline, 5 weeks, and 10 weeks

  3. Retention rate

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as a percentage rate reflecting the number of participants participating at study completion compared to the number of participants participating at study commencement.

  4. Heart rate

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as a numerical value reflecting beats per minute.

  5. Heart rate variability

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as a numerical value in (milliseconds)

  6. Sleep duration

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as the total sleep time (hours and minutes)

  7. Sleep score

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as a numerical value (index value) ranging from 0-100

  8. Resilience score

    Time frame: Enrollment through 10 weeks

    Reported as a numerical score (composite index value) ranging from 0-100

  9. Patient Acuity score

    Time frame: From enrollment through the end of 10 weeks

    The Oracle Health Workload Management Clairvia system operationalizes patient acuity in terms of the intensity of care provided by nursing staff and allows for the direct care time required per patient to be quantified. This allows capture of RNs' workload across the working shift, creating an individualized utilization value that can reported as a numerical value (score).

Secondary outcomes

  1. The Perceived Stress Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (r = .93) is a 10-item survey measuring general perceived stress over the past 1 month. Scores range 0 to 40; ≥ 14 suggests at least moderate perceived stress.

  2. The Professional Quality of Life Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) is a 30-item measure of burnout, well-being, and occupational stress from the past 30 days. ProQOL subscales include compassion satisfaction (Cronbach's α = 0.88), burnout (Cronbach's α = 0.75), and secondary traumatic stress (Cronbach's α = 0.81). Scores are interpreted as ≤ 22 (low), 23-41 (moderate), and ≥42 (high) levels of the construct being measured.

  3. The PROMIS-29 Profile v2.0

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    The PROMIS®-29 Profile v.2.0 assesses 7 domains of mental and physical health, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, physical function, social role, sleep disturbance, pain. Raw scores are converted to T-scores with higher T-scores representing more of the construct being measured.

  4. Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM)

    Time frame: Week 5, Week 10

    The Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) is a 4-item, validated implementation outcome survey tool designed to assess how practical and achievable an intervention is within a given setting. Responses range from completely disagree to completely agree.

  5. Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)

    Time frame: Week 5, Week 10

    The AIM is a 4-item tool that evaluates the extent to which participants perceive an intervention as agreeable, satisfactory, or appealing. Responses range from completely disagree to completely agree.

  6. Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM)

    Time frame: Week 5, Week 10

    The IAM is a 4-item tool that assesses the perceived fit or suitability of an intervention for a specific setting. Responses range from completely disagree to completely agree.

  7. Qualitative Insights on Burnout and Organizational Stressors

    Time frame: Baseline

    Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews exploring nurses' perceptions of stress, workload, and well-being.

  8. Hours worked per week

    Time frame: Baseline through week 10

    Numerical value reflecting the total number of hours a nurse worked each week.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Missouri-Columbia

Other

Collaborators

  • Oura Ring

Registry information

Official study title

Exploring the Correlation Between Workload, Stress Level, and Health Status of Nurses Through Wearable Technology and Shift Data: A Feasibility Study

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Nov 25, 2025
Registry last updated
May 4, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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