Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.24141/1/2/1/5
Professional stress in nurses
Samka Ekić
; University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Primorac
; University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Boris Vučić
; University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine the influence of stress on the perfomance of nurses’ everyday activities.
Data was collected anonymously using a questionnaire specifically designed for this purpose. The questionnaire included sociodemographical data of the respondents, stressors common to all nursing professionals, specific stressors that occur in management positions and health issues of the respondents. In the statistical analysis, continuous variables were presented using an arithemic mean and standard deviation. The research included 363 participants that work in different working environments: hospital ward, polyclinics and diagnostics departments. Most of the respondents work in the hospital ward in shifts, that is 175 of them (50.7%). Out of the total number of respondents in the hospital ward 86 of them (24.9%) work in the intensive care department.
With regard to the aim of the research, it was necessary to determine how some of the stressors in nursing are ranked by intensity. Based on the given results, it can be concluded that the dominant stressors are the ones related to a feeling of inadequate compensation and unpredictable workload – such as a 24-hour work responsibility and the need to make urgent decisions without the possibility of consult. Work overload and the lack of time for patient care present in nursing management positions were ranked as the highest-intensity stressor, while isolation from coworkers in the workplace was ranked as the lowest-intensity one. Stressors connected to interpersonal communication within the team were ranked low.
As previously mentioned, the questionnaire included a section dedicated to health issues that emerged as a consequence of stress. Out of the total number of respondents, 212 of them (60,90%) point out to chronic health issues, wherein the health issues last more than a year. Given results also suggest frequent cardiovascular diseases (elevated blood pressure, circulatory disorders), indigestion and locomotor disorders.
Keywords
Stress; stressor; female and male nurse
Hrčak ID:
164835
URI
Publication date:
12.4.2016.
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