LIM J., BOGOSSIAN F. & AHERN K. (2010) Stress and coping in Australian nurses: a systematic review. International Nursing Review57, 22–31

Aim:  To identify factors that contribute to stress in Australian nurses, consider the coping strategies they use and examine the effects of stressors on nurses' health and well-being.

Background:  Stress is a major concern in the nursing profession with work overload, nurse shortages and high turnover rates as the common stressors. Although nursing stress has been studied extensively, there is a lack of clarity on the nursing situation in Australia.

Methods:  A systematic review of the current literature was conducted on stress and coping strategies within the Australian nursing population.

Results:  Stressors included work overload, role conflicts and experiences of aggression. Coping strategies included seeking support, problem solving and self-control. The majority of the studies reported detrimental effects on nurses' physical and mental well-being with little consideration given to the spillover effects of nursing work stress to their family and social relationships.

Conclusion:  Recommendations included factoring in personal and work stresses, promoting the use of effective coping strategies and maintaining supportive social relationships.

Stress and coping in Australian nurses: a systematic review

The presence of role stress/strain among nurses has been of concern throughout the world. However, to date, no one has conducted, from an international perspective, a literature review of research on the topic. This article assesses research from 17 countries, identifies the major areas of focus in the studies, compares and contrasts the findings, summarizes the state of the science on role stress/strain on nurses and makes recommendations for future research.

Literature review of role stress/strain on nurses: an international perspective.

Aim To establish the best available evidence regarding the relationship between the nursing shortage and nurses' job satisfaction, stress and burnout levels in oncology/haematology settings.

Methods  Electronic databases (CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Proquest and Mednar) were searched using a three-step strategy in order to identify published and unpublished studies conducted between 1990 and 2010. Grey literature was excluded in the review. The identified studies were evaluated using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute-Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI). A total of seven descriptive and descriptive-correlational studies published in English were included and data were presented in a narrative summary.

Results  Findings revealed a positive bidirectional relationship between the nursing shortage and oncology registered nurses' (RNs') job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout. The extent of the job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout experienced by the oncology RNs and their perception of staffing inadequacy differed according to their demography and work settings. Particularly, nurses who had higher qualifications and positions, who worked full-time and who worked in inpatient settings and non-Magnet hospitals were more likely to attribute staffing inadequacy as one of the main contributing factors for their job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout. This led to a rise in the number of oncology RNs leaving the speciality.

Conclusion  Within the constraints of the study and the few quality papers available, it appears that oncology RNs who worked in substandard staffing units often express job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout, which prompt them to seek new employment out of the oncology specialty. This entails a pressing need for organisations to ensure sufficient staffing in oncology/haematology settings, in order to ensure that quality patient care is provided. Limited studies that examine the relationship between the nursing shortage and oncology RNs' stress and burnout have been conducted. Also, no studies in the Asian context have previously been conducted.

Implications for practice  Organizations need to customize their strategies for the recruitment and retention of oncology nurses. The strategies should take into consideration the specific demographic characteristics of oncology nurses or those of work settings that are experiencing staffing inadequacy and negative nursing outcomes. The strategies should also aim to replicate features of other institutions that are attractive to oncology nurses, and also include training that help oncology nurses better manage their emotions.

Implications for research  Future research needs to examine the relationship between the nursing shortage and oncology nurses' job satisfaction, stress and burnout in bone marrow transplant units, paediatric oncology settings and Asian oncology settings. The characteristics of oncology nurses or workplaces that are more likely to experience negative nursing outcomes due the nursing shortage should also be identified.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1744-1609.2012.00271.x

Systematic review on the relationship between the nursing shortage and job satisfaction, stress and burnout levels among nurses in oncology/haematology settings

Recent epidemiological data suggests 13.3% of Hong Kong residents suffered from Common Mental Disorders, most frequently mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. This study examines the weighted prevalence and associated risk factors of depression, anxiety and stress among Hong Kong nurses. A total of 850 nurses were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 and multiple logistic regression was used to determine significant relationships between variables. Chronic past-year illness and poor self-perceived mental health were significant correlates of past-week depression, anxiety and stress. It confirmed further positive correlations between depression and divorce, widowhood and separation, job dissatisfaction, disturbance with colleagues, low physical activity levels and sleep problems. Marital status; general medicine; sleep problems, and a lack of leisure significantly correlated with anxiety. Stress was significantly associated with younger age, clinical inexperience, past-year disturbance with colleagues, low physical activity, no leisure and drinking alcohol. Nurses were more depressed, anxious and stressed than the local general population, with over one-third of our respondents classified as subject to these disorders.

/pdf/depression-anxiety-and-symptoms-of-stress-among-hong-kong-97ha7cvb7c.pdf

Depression, Anxiety and Symptoms of Stress among Hong Kong Nurses: A Cross-sectional Study.

nabirye r.c., brown k.c., pryor e.r. & maples e.h. (2011) Journal of Nursing Management19, 760–768
Occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda

Aims  To assess levels of occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda; and how they are influenced by work and personal characteristics.

Background  Occupational stress is reported to affect job satisfaction and job performance among nurses, thus compromising nursing care and placing patients’ lives at risk. Although these factors have been studied extensively in the US and Europe, there was a need to explore them from the Ugandan perspective.

Methods  A correlational study was conducted with 333 nurses from four hospitals in Kampala, Uganda. A questionnaire measuring occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance was used. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and anova.

Results  There were significant differences in levels of occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance between public and private not-for-profit hospitals, nursing experience and number of children.

Conclusions  Organizational differences between public and private not-for-profit hospitals influence the study variables.

Implications for Nursing Management  On-the-job training for nurse managers in human resource management to increase understanding and advocacy for organizational support policies was recommended. Research to identify organizational, family or social factors which contribute to reduction of perceived occupational stress and increase job satisfaction and job performance was recommended.

Occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda.

Few empirical studies have investigated the issues linked to Hong Kong nurses work-related health. The present study investigated factors related to stress and coping among Chinese nurses in Hong Kong. The researchers employed a cross-sectional survey and made within-group comparisons of nurses' stress and coping. Using stratified random sampling the researchers selected nurses from the mailing list of a local professional organization. One hundred and sixty-eight (33.6%) nurses responded. Nurses reported lower stress levels than other workers assessed with the same measure. Paediatric nurses reported the highest stress levels. Nurses at the lower grades reported higher stress levels than nurses at the higher grades. Single nurses had marginally higher stress scores than married nurses and females had slightly higher stress scores than males. However, none of these results were statistically significant. The respondents' major sources of stress were related to nursing issues like too much work, interpersonal relationships, and dealing with hospital administration. The respondents coped with their stresses by seeking support from friends and colleagues, using different cognitive strategies and through leisure activities. There was a statistically significant link between the respondents' stress and sickness levels. The results raise issues about the nature of nurses' working experiences.

Peggy A. Wyatt

Papers

Factors related to stress and coping among Chinese nurses in Hong Kong.