Aim of the study. To explore and evaluate the frequency of stress and psychological violence experienced at work by nurses working at Kaunas district health care institutions, and to evaluate factors that cause stress and psychological violence. Methods. Information has been gathered using anonymous questionnaires distributed among 152 nurses working at health care institutions in Kaunas district. Statistical evaluation of the obtained data was performed using SPSS 12.0/w software package. Results. We found that 73.7% of nurses experienced stress. A statistically reliable relationship was detected between critical situations at home, workload, and stress (p<0.01). 11.2% of nurses felt absolutely unsafe and 41.4% - unsafe about retaining their work position in the future. 12.5% of nurses experienced psychological violence at work. Psychological violence towards nurses most frequently resulted from backbiting and rumours, lack of information affecting job quality and performance, and reminding about mistakes made at work. A statistically reliable relationship was found between negative experience at work and poor health estimation. Nurses who were ignored and isolated at work (p<0.05, OR 2.76 CI (1.07;7.10)), experienced (p<0.01, OR 3.71 CI(1.44; 9.52)), humiliation, and mockery (p<0.0001, OR 5.07 CI (2.07;12.41)) had a higher probability of evaluating their health as poor. 33.6% of nurses experienced patients’ and their relatives’ threats, and 2% of nurses experienced... [to full text]