Introduction: Nurse managers (NM) have significant influence on staff experiences and affect business and health outcomes in a hospital. Yet first line managers may be inexperienced in managing the stress of organizational performance expectations and the needs of staff, physicians, and patients.  Purpose: This study describes workplace stress experienced by AWHONN NMs in hospital settings with a goal of developing an evidence-based intervention to reduce NM stress.  The study addresses 6 research questions regarding the NM stress levels, and how NM’s moderate their stress. Study Design: The study uses a multi-method cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative design with descriptive and inferential analyses of stressors, strains and moderators; a comparison of the NM’s perceptions of stress levels among the different levels of management; and a qualitative study of coping mechanisms described by the NMs.  Methods: A non-probability convenience sample of nurse managers drawn from AWHONN’s membership list was used. Postcards describing the study were sent to AWHONN managers requesting that they complete the study documents on Survey Monkey. Demographic survey results describe the sample and control for confounding variables. Published measures with known psychometric properties are used.  Results will be shared AWHONN’s annual conference and publications in peer reviewed journals.