Background:
Work-related stress in healthcare professionals can negatively affect the quality of healthcare delivered, particularly in high-stress environments like the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).

Objectives:
We examined the prevalence of work stress and common stressors among healthcare providers in the NICU.

Method:
Consenting NICU healthcare providers across eight NICUs in Karnataka State participated in the study. Stress and psychological distress were examined using the Tool to Assess and Classify Work-Related Stress (TAWS-16) and the Kessler Psychological Distress (K10).

Results:
Among 171 participants, the prevalence of work stress was 32.7%, with 19.3% reporting stress symptoms and 38.6% experiencing psychological distress. Key stressors included meeting deadlines (80.7%), performing multiple roles (69.6%), long hours of work (60.3%), and unsatisfactory remuneration (61.4%). NICU mortality (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.025-1.26, P = 0.019) and being a trainee (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.08-5.02, P = 0.03) posed a higher risk for occupational stress.

Conclusions:
Nearly one-third of healthcare professionals in NICU reported stress and psychological distress at the workplace. Study findings highlight the need to lower NICU mortality and enhance organizational support for trainee staff.