The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between depression, perceived stress, fatigue and anger in clinical nurses.

A descriptive survey was conducted using a convenient sample. Data was collected by questionnaires from four hundred clinical nurses who worked at a university hospital. Radloff's CES-D for depression, Cohen, Kamarck & Mermelstein's Perceived Stress Scale, VAS for Fatigue, and Spielberger's STAXI for anger were used. The data was analyzed using the pearson correlation coefficient, students' t-test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 12.0.

The depression of clinical nurses showed a significantly positive correlation to perceived stress(r=.360, p=.000), mental fatigue(r=.471, p=.000), physical fatigue(r=.350, p=.000), trait anger(r=.370, p=.000), anger-in expression(r=.231, p=.000), and anger-control expression(r=.120, p=.016). There was a negative correlation between depression and age(r=-.146, p=.003). The mean score of depression of nurses, 26, was a very high score and 40.8% of clinical nurses were included in a depression group. The main significant predictors influencing depression of clinical nurses were mental fatigue, trait anger, perceived stress, anger-in expression, and state anger, which explained about 32.7%.

These results indicate that clinical nurses with a high degree of perceived stress, mental fatigue and anger-in expression are likely to be depressed.