Sources of stress and psychological well‐being in high‐dependency nursing

Abstract

The present study examined occupational stress in four areas of high-dependency nursing: theatres, liver/renal, haematology/oncology and elective surgery. A total of 60 nurses from one large NHS hospital completed questionnaires on sources and levels of stress, psychological well-being and ways of coping; interviews with a small sub-sample were carried out. The results indicated that the amount of stress experienced was similar across all four departments, but its sources varied. Theatre nurses experienced less stress through patients' death and dying. Other factors which influenced both the level and sources of stress included post-qualification training, number of children and partnership-status. Nurses with post-qualification training perceived higher levels of stress. Social support was found to influence psychological well-being. Nurses who were living with a partner or were married experienced fewer stress symptoms than those with no partner, and nurses with two children experienced significantly less stress through dealing with patients and relatives. Reactions to stress elicited a range of adaptive and maladaptive coping styles. Nurses sampled indicated universal support for the introduction of 'nurse-for-a-day' and management 'swap-overs' as practised in Boston, USA. This study recommends sending nurses on management and administration courses and stress-management programmes.

Parameters influencing health variables in a sample of 949 German teachers

“…These observations are in line with a broad scientiWc literature demonstrating that social support at the work place aVects health parameters of employees (Burke and Greenglass 1993;Duquette et al 1993;Golembiewski et al 1986;Ksienzyk-Kreuziger 2007;Maslach and Jackson 1984;Pierce and Molloy 1990;Schaarschmidt and Fischer 2001). Also the role of social support originating from the private sphere has been described before (Bauer et al 2006;Buschmann and Gamsjäger 1999;Gamsjäger and Sauer 1996;Kretschmer 2004;Tyler and Ellison 1994). Of note, our data provide evidence that, in the case of school teachers, receiving direct positive feedback by pupils or by parents appears to exert a stronger protective inXuence than what is traditionally designated as social support.…”

Stress and well­being in health­care staff: the role of negative affectivity, and perceptions of job demand and discretion

“…However, it has proved to be dicult to make comparisons across groups because of the lack of an appropriate questionnaire. In our work with nurses 4,10 we have found Gray-Toft and Anderson's Nursing Stress Scale 11 useful but too speci®c to hospital nurses to be used for other groups. Similarly, our clinical psychologists' scale 9,12 would be inappropriate for doctors or nurses.…”

Psychological Distress in Hospital Staff with Self-Reported Hand Dermatitis

“…Some authors demonstrated that due to characteristics of their work nurses have a major tendency to depression, and their work environment favors the development of anxiety [Pelosi et al, 1999;Venuta et al, 1999]. Moreover, it was documented that nurses experience a high level of stress which may influence their psychological health [Tyler and Ellison, 1994]. The data mentioned above may partly explain the high percentage of psychological distress in hospital employees with hand dermatitis.…”