1 INTRODUCTION
Work-related stress is defined as the response of individuals when work demands and pressures do not match their knowledge and ability and their ability to cope is challenged (World Health Organization, 2020). Work-related stress is a global concern in all professions and all countries(International Labour Organization, 2016). Studies show that workplace stress is a serious risk in health care settings (Maharaj, Lees, & Lal, 2019; Mark & Smith, 2018; Nowrouzi, Nguyen, Casole, & Nowrouzi-Kia, 2017). The health care system is a sensitive public service provider. The results of several studies showed that HCWs experienced high levels of stress during the coronavirus pandemic (Benfante, Di Tella, Romeo, & Castelli, 2020; Kisely et al., 2020; Salari et al., 2020; Zhang et al., 2020).
Prolonged response to chronic stressors in the workplace leads to overwhelming exhaustion, a sense of ineffectiveness, lack of accomplishment, feelings of cynicism and detachment from the job, and eventually burnout (Maslach & Leiter, 2016).
Despite the extensive research in this field, most of the studies investigated the factors of workplace stress independently, and few studies investigated the different dimensions (Gheshlagh et al., 2017; Wiederhold, Cipresso, Pizzioli, Wiederhold, & Riva, 2018). While workplace stress is an important multi-level, integrated approach (Wiederhold et al., 2018) .Evidence shows that health interventions in the workplace are effective in improving the health of HCWs (Brand et al., 2017). Therefore, a comprehensive and scientific framework is needed for effective interventions to control stress in the workplace. The findings of a systematic review revealed that scarcely any studies have investigated occupational stress with a theoretical approach (Nowrouzi et al., 2017). So far, several models have been identified in the field of workplace mental health (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; J. V Johnson & Hall, 1988; Karasek Jr, 1979; Siegrist, 1996). However, most of these models were limited to identifying factors related to workplace stress and did not have a clear pattern for designing interventions.
While for stressful workplaces such as health care systems, a special model or framework of occupational stress is needed for interventions. The PRECEDE-PROCEED model is a planning model for health promotion in the workplace and appropriate health care environments(Green, L.W.; Kreuter, 2005). The PRECEDE-PROCEED model has an educational and ecological approach, so it is a guide and facilitator for identifying different dimensions of stress and implementing interventions at different levels. The Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) model is an excellent theoretical basis for assessing the mental health and well-being of workers and can be used in various workplaces (Lesener, Gusy, & Wolter, 2019). Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of developing a conceptual model for promoting mental health in the workplace in order to reduce occupational stress among HCWs, based on the perceptions of employees and superiors, and in line with the PRECEDE-PROCEED model and the JD-R model.