Secondary Traumatic Stress: How it interferes with the performance of the nursing professional

Abstract

The performance of the nursing professional suffers from the interference of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), work stress that affects health professionals. This work aims to understand the implications of STS in professional life, its forms of prevention and how to intervene, in order to promote quality of work life, which implies physical and mental health. This study was carried out by bibliographic review of literature, based on the analysis of articles and selection of textbooks in the field of Psychiatry, with the aim of solidifying the subject and scientific articles in the database of the virtual library: Google Scholar, Pubmed, Scielo. To what extent does the use of empathy interfere in the professional's daily life? The help professions suffer from the effect of applying feelings, a spontaneous reaction that occurs at the end of the experience of an event lived by another. It is reputed as a fatigue, resulting from occupational stress in its exhaustion phase, leading to emotional anesthesia. Studies show that the reaction of STS becomes cumulative, impairing the assistance provided, generating cognitive, affective and relational changes, producing fear, sadness and depression. The literature is scarce regarding studies related to this subject in Nursing, and it is essential to develop studies to further clarify the topic. Knowledge and monitoring about Secondary Traumatic Stress provide preventive attitudes, as a means of promoting quality of life, based on the principle that prevention is still the best medicine for not getting sick.