How do perioperative nurses cope with stress?
Brigid M Gillespie
Doctoral Student, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast QLD
Stephen Kermode
School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore NSW
PP: 020 - 029
Abstract
In recent years there has been broad discussion on the nature of stressors experienced by members of 'high risk' occupations and professions, for instance nursing and emergency workers, whose role is to support others through traumatic scenarios (Lam et al, 1999:23).
Perioperative nursing is a major specialization in nursing practice in which there is an increased risk of exposure to traumatic events (Schwann, 1998:645). Moreover, the cumulative nature of critical events, if left undealt with that will potentiate attrition among nurses in the perioperative environment (Michael and Jenkins, 2001:39).
This triangulated study using self-administered questionnaires focused on how theatre nurses coped with contextual stressors in the work milieu. A purposive sample of 46 registered and enrolled nurses who worked at a major Brisbane hospital were asked to describe a recent stressful workplace event, and rate it using Horowitz's (1993) Impact of Event Scale (IES). Results indicated that nurses with the least general theatre experience, demonstrated the highest negative impacts. 25% of females demonstrated avoidance tendencies when stressed, while 83% of males used problem-solving strategies. Reactions following trauma among the nurses were predominantly negative, and included feelings of frustration and self-doubt.
These findings support the eminent need for hospital organizations to take a more person-centered approach when dealing with workplace stress.
Keywords
workplace stress; coping; problem-focused
References
Chiriboga D, Jenkins G and Bailey J 1983 Stress and coping among hospice nurses: Test for an analytic model. Nursing Research 32(5): 294-300.
Connelly L, Folt M, Hoffart N and Taunton R 1997 Methodological triangulation in a study of nurse retention. Nursing Research 48(5): 299-302.
Farrington A 1997 Strategies for reducing stress and burnout in nursing. British Journal of Nursing 6(1):44-51.
Fox R 1999 Organ procurement: what is our role and what do we need to know? ACORN Journal Spring: 19-22.
Frasier S 1990 Survivors recollections of helpful and unhelpful emergency nurses activities surrounding the sudden death of a loved one. Journal of Emergency Nursing 16(1):13-17.
Harris R 1989 Reviewing nursing stress according to a proposed coping-adaption framework. Advances in Nursing Science 11(2):12-28.
Healy C, MacKay M 2000 Nursing stress: the effects of coping strategies and job satisfaction in a sample of Australian nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing 31(3)681-688.
Hinkler L 1979 The concept of stress in the biological and social sciences. In: Lipowski D, Whybrow C (eds) Psychomotor medicine: current trends and clinical implications Oxford University Press, New York.
Holloway I 1997 Basic concepts for qualitative research. Blackwell, London.
Horowitz M 1993 Stress-response syndromes: A review of post-traumatic stress and adjustment disorders. In: Wilson J, Raphael B (eds) International handbook of traumatic stress syndromes Plenum Press, New York.
Horowitz M, Wilner B and Alvarez M 1979 Impact of Event Scale: A measure of subjective stress. Psychomotor Medicine 41(3):209-218.
Keane A, Duccette J and Adler D 1985 Stress in ICU and Non ICU nurses. Nursing Research 34(4):231-237.
Lam L, Ross K, Cass D, Quine S and Lazarus R 1999 The impact of work-related trauma on the psychological health of nursing staff: a cross-sectional study. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 16(3):14-20.
Lazarus R and Folkman S 1984 Stress, appraisal and coping. Springer Publishing, New York.
Livesly M 2000 Morale within operating room departments. British Journal of Perioperative Nursing 10(3):144-152.
Michael R and Jenkins H 2001 The impact of work-related trauma on the well-being of perioperative nurses. Collegian 8(2):36-40.
Micheal R and Jenkins H 2000 Work-related trauma: the experiences of perioperative nurses. Collegian 8(2):19-26.
Polit D and Hungler B 1999 Nursing research: principles and methods. Lippincott, Philadelphia.
Rohleder I 1993 Stress in the operating room. ACORN June: 11-14.
Schwam K 1998 The phenomenon of compassion fatigue in perioperative nursing. ACORN 58(2):642-648.
Seyle H 1976 The stress of life. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Shapiro P 1986 Coping with death in the OR. Todays OR Nurse 8(7):17-20.
Veccio R 1995 Organisational behaviours. 3rd Ed. Harcourt Brace, Fort Worth.
Webb Y 2002 Nursing the nurses: why staff need support. Nursing Times 98(16):36-37.
Wegmann J 1992 Measuring coping. In: Stromborg M (ed) Instruments for clinical nursing research. Jones & Bartlett, Boston.
Weiss M 1996 Measuring coping using the IES. In: Stamm B (ed) Measurement of stress, trauma and adaption. Sidran Press, Lutherville.
eContent Home
