Workplace stressors, ways of coping and demographic characteristics as predictors of physical and mental health of Japanese hospital nurses

The relationship of stress coping styles on substance use, depressive symptoms, and personality traits of nurses in higher education institution

AIM

This study examined the collective characteristics of nurses and their stress coping style.

METHODS

We conducted a cluster analysis of the stress coping strategies of 841 nurses belonging to Dokkyo Medical University Hospital, as measured by the Brief COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced). We also conducted multivariate analyses of each cluster's sociodemographic characteristics, personality traits, depressive symptoms, work attitudes, sense of fairness, and turnover intention.

RESULTS

The results of cluster analysis using the standardized z scores of the Brief COPE demonstrated that the study participants were classified into three clusters. The "emotional-response type" tended to favor the use of emotional support, venting, and self-blame. The "reality-escape type" tended to prefer alcohol and substance use, behavioral resignation, use of instrumental support, and lack of acceptance. The "problem-solving type" tended to prefer planning, positive reframing, and acceptance and to dislike "alcohol and substance use" and behavioral disengagement. A multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that compared to the problem-solving type, the emotional-response type had a lower job title, a higher "neuroticism" score on the TIPI-J, and a higher K6 score. However, compared to the problem-solving type, the reality-escape type was younger, consumed more alcohol and substances, and had a higher K6 score.

CONCLUSIONS

Stress coping styles were found to be associated with substance use, depressive symptoms, and personality traits among nurses in higher education institutions. Thus, the results suggest that nurses who choose maladaptive stress coping styles require mental support and early identification of depressive symptoms and alcohol problems.

Incidence of stress among emergency nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study's main purpose is to evaluate the stress level among emergency nurses systematically.

METHODS

Adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, nine databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, web of science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and China biomedical literature service system, were searched to collect cross-sectional studies on emergency nurses. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies.

RESULTS

From 2655 studies, 21 cross-sectional studies were included, including 4293 subjects. Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of low-level stress was 0.21% (95% CI [0.18-0.24]), the incidence of middle-level stress was 0.46% (95% CI [0.33-0.58]), and the incidence of high-level stress was 0.32% (95% CI [0.22-0.41]), which is mainly at the medium level.

CONCLUSION

This review identified the stress level of emergency nurses mainly at the medium level. This result makes nursing administrators pay more attention to the mental health problems of emergency nurses and actively take measures to promote the physical and mental health of emergency nurses and further promote the development of the nursing profession.

The Use of Music to Manage Burnout in Nurses: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

There is a high prevalence of burnout in nurses. This systematic review investigates the use of music to manage burnout in nurses.

DATA SOURCE

MEDLINE (Ovid), MEDLINE InProcess/ePubs, Embase, APA PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched.

STUDY INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Full-text articles were selected if the study assessed the use of music to manage burnout in nurses. Burnout was defined according to the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted using an Excel sheet. The second and third authors independently extracted study characteristics, frequency and type of music engagement, measures of burnout, and burnout outcomes (occupational stress, coping with stress, and related symptoms such as anxiety).

DATA SYNTHESIS

Study and outcome data were summarized.

RESULTS

The literature search resulted in 2210 articles and 16 articles were included (n = 1205 nurses). All seven cross-sectional studies reported upon nurses' self-facilitated use of music including music listening, playing instruments, and music entertainment for coping or preventing stress, supporting wellbeing, or enhancing work engagement. Externally-facilitated music engagement, including music listening, chanting, percussive improvisation, and song writing, was reported in the four randomized controlled trials and five cohort studies with reductions in burnout outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-facilitated and externally-facilitated music engagement can help to reduce burnout in nurses.

Occupational Differences in Psychological Distress Between Chinese Dentists and Dental Nurses

Background

Doctors and allied health professionals are facing serious mental health issues, which have received widespread attention. This study aimed to explore the occupational differences in psychological distress between Chinese dentists and dental nurses.

Materials and Methods

The data was collected from a cross-sectional study conducted by the Chongqing Stomatological Association. Medical personnel involved in this survey were invited to complete a battery of self-administrated questionnaires, specifically the General Health Questionnaire-12, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and career choice regret scale. Data on demographic characteristics and working conditions were also collected. The results of these questionnaires were analyzed with SPSS (version 23.0). Univariate and multivariable analyzes were conducted to explore the influencing factors.

Results

A total of 3,020 valid questionnaires, including 1,855 dentists and 1,165 dental nurses, were collected from 11 provinces of China. In general, 23.8% of responders exhibited psychological distress. The rate of dentists was 25.7%, and that of dental nurses was 20.8%. The prevalence was 4.9% higher in dentists than in dental nurses (P < 0.05). The multivariable analysis showed that factors associated with psychological distress for dentists were lower income, burnout, high job stress, career-choice regret, and lack of sufficient personal time, and that for dental nurses were age, lower income, longer working hours per week, burnout, high job stress, low job satisfaction, lack of sufficient personal time, and poor medical environment.

Conclusion

The prevalence of psychological distress was relatively high among dental medical staff, and dentists showed a higher prevalence than dental nurses. Nurses have more risk factors for psychological distress than dentists. These results indicate that it is necessary to monitor the mental health status of dental medical staff and implement accurate strategies for dentists and dental nurses to promote their physical and mental health.

Coping strategies and depression among Bedouin mothers raising an adolescent with a developmental disability

Many studies have examined the coping strategies and depression of mothers of children with disabilities, but most have involved Western families and only a few refer to unique and traditional cultures. The main goal of the current study was to assess depression among Bedouin Israeli mothers raising children with developmental disability (DD) and how it is linked to their coping strategies. The study included a sample of 95 Bedouin mothers of adolescents with and without DD in Israel. Self-report measures of CES-D and Brief Cope were used to measure depression and coping strategies. Findings revealed an alarmingly high prevalence of severe depression among Bedouin mothers, especially among those raising a child with DD. Mothers raising a child with a developmental disability tended to use avoidant coping more often, while the use of active coping strategies did not differ between the two groups. Adaptivity of planning and behavioral disengagement was found to be context dependent. Findings underscore the vulnerability of Bedouin mothers living in Israel, and particularly Bedouin mothers raising a child with a DD which are a double jeopardy group.

Work-related factors predict changes in physical activity among nurses participating in a web-based worksite intervention: A randomized controlled trial

Background

Despite the numerous benefits associated with physical activity (PA), most nurses are not active enough and few interventions have been developed to promote PA among nurses. A secondary analysis of raw data from a single-centre, three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess whether work-related characteristics and general mood states predict changes in total weekly moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) and average daily step-count among nurses participating in a 6-week web-based worksite intervention.

Methods

Seventy nurses (mean_age: 46.1 ± 11.2 years) were randomized to an individual-, friend-, or team-based PA challenge. Participants completed questionnaires pre- and post-intervention assessing work-related characteristics (i.e., shift schedule and length, number of hours worked per week, work role) and general mood states (i.e., tension, depression, anger, confusion, fatigue, vigour). Participants received a PA monitor to wear before and during the 6-week PA challenge, which was used to assess total weekly MVPA minutes and average daily step-count. Data were analyzed descriptively and using multilevel modeling for repeated measures.

Results

Change in total weekly MVPA minutes, but not change in average daily step-count, was predicted by shift schedule (rotating vs. fixed) by time (estimate = − 17.43, SE = 6.18, p = .006), and work role (clinical-only vs. other) by time (estimate = 18.98, SE = 6.51, p = .005). General mood states did not predict change in MVPA or change in average daily step-count.

Conclusions

Given that nurses who work rotating shifts and perform clinical work showed smaller improvements in MVPA, it may be necessary to consider work-related factors/barriers (e.g., time constraints, fatigue) and collaborate with nurses when designing and implementing MVPA interventions in the workplace.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04524572. August 24, 2020. This trial was registered retrospectively. This study adheres to the CONSORT 2010 statement guidelines.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-021-00739-4.

Stress and burnout among health-care workers in the coronavirus disease 2019 intensive care unit

Since late December 2019, the city of Wuhan in China has reported a novel pneumonia caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has now spread domestically and internationally. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unthinkable consequences and has challenged and, in numerous cases, beaten the capacity of hospitals and intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide to handle it. Apart from the obvious burden of patient care, extended work timings, and fear of personal safety, health-care workers (HCWs) also suffer from occupational stress as a result of lack of skills, organizational factors, and low social support at work leading to distress, burnout, and psychosomatic problems. This leads to stress, direct deterioration in quality of life as well as the quality of service provided. In this article, the authors navigate on the root cause of stress that is peculiar to the HCWs deployed in the ICU and suggest recommendations to alleviate it. To aid in the research, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, NIOSHTIC-2, and Web of Science up to May 2021.

Associations between Personality Traits, Intolerance of Uncertainty, Coping Strategies, and Stress in Italian Frontline and Non-Frontline HCWs during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Multi-Group Path-Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic represented a very difficult physical and psychological challenge for the general population and even more for healthcare workers (HCWs). The main aim of the present study is to test whether there were significant differences between frontline and non-frontline Italian HCWs concerning (a) personality traits, intolerance of uncertainty, coping strategies and perceived stress, and (b) the models of their associations. A total of 682 Italian HCWs completed a self-report questionnaire: 280 employed in COVID-19 wards and 402 in other wards. The analysis of variance omnibus test revealed significant differences between the two groups only for perceived stress, which was higher among the frontline. The multi-group path analysis revealed significant differences in the structure of the associations between the two groups of HCWs, specifically concerning the relations between: personality traits and intolerance of uncertainty; intolerance of uncertainty and coping strategies. Regarding the relation between coping strategies and stress no difference was identified between the two groups. In both of them, emotionally focused coping was negatively related with perceived stress, whereas dysfunctional coping was positively related with stress. These results could be useful in planning actions aiming to reduce stress and improve the effectiveness of HCWs' interventions. Training programs aimed to provide HCWs with a skillset to tackle uncertain and stressful circumstances could represent an appropriate support to develop a preventive approach during outbreaks.

Workplace bullying, personality traits and health among hospital nurses: The mediating effect of social support

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the status of nursing staff's workplace bullying, personality traits, social support and mental health, to find out the predictors of nursing staff's health, and to explore whether social support is a mediator to regulate the impact of workplace bullying on mental health.

BACKGROUND

Bullying could cause physical and psychological problems, and nursing workplace bullying causes not only health problems of nursing staff but also patient safety problems. "Workplace bullying" is a worthy topic to pay attention to. Only limited studies could be discovered about the mediating effects between workplace bullying and health.

METHODS

Cross-sectional and correlation designs were used. The STROBE was used as a checklist for this study.

RESULTS

The results showed that the frequency of poor sleep quality ≥3 days in recent 2 weeks (p < .001), external control personality traits (p = .016), workplace bullying (p < .001) and less social support (p = .001) were the main predictors of the health problems among nurses, and social support was the mediator between workplace bullying and health problems.

CONCLUSION

It is recommended that hospital managers should apply regular sleep-wake schedule by designing a biological clock-compliant shift in order to promote good sleep hygiene of the nurses. Providing educational programmes and building up policies to decrease workplace bullying and increase social supports are suggested.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Hospital managers should provide education and training related to the prevention of bullying and establish communication and consultation channels for the bullied. Nursing managers should also educate nurses to establish effective social networks with family, friends and colleagues to prevent health problems.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Burnout syndrome among Nurses in Public Hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

The Burnout syndrome has been defined as a response to the chronic work-related stress typically found in professionals working in care service organizations. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the prevalence of burnout syndrome and factors associated with burnout syndrome among nurses in public hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia, 2018.

METHOD

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1st, 2018 to April 1st, 2018. Total number of nurses who fulfill the inclusion criterias were enrolled. Data was collected using the predesigned tool. Data were entered using EPI INFO version 7 and was exported to statistical packages for social science (SPSS) version 21.0 for analysis. Logistic regression was employed and odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used. Variables with a P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 282 eligible nurses were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 28.71 [SD ±7.047]. The prevalence of burnout syndrome among nurses was 96(34%). Predictor variables like; educational status, job title, work experience, fatigue, and social support were found to be strong predictor variables for burnout syndrome.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that a considerable proportion of nurses had burnout syndrome. Therefore, improved educational status and strong social support should be encouraged among nurses working in the health setting for the betterment of health care services, job satisfaction and quality of care in general.

Nursing work intention, stress, and professionalism in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Professionalism, stress and demographic factors are the three key influences in nurses' intention to provide care.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the levels of work intention, stress and professionalism of nurses and determine the relationship between nursing work intention and factors in response to COVID-19.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 362 nurses from COVID-19-devoted hospitals in Iran. A self-administered electronic-based questionnaire was developed and used to determine levels of stress, professionalism, and nursing intention. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to analyze the correlation between nursing intention with respect to stress and professionalism.

RESULTS

The overall stress, professionalism, and nursing intention scores were 48.56, 21.46, and 17.83 respectively. There were significant differences in nursing intention scores between gender, marital status, and having training groups (p < 0.05). The regression analysis revealed that nursing intention had a significant relationship with older age (p < 0.001,S.E = 1.11,B = 17.02), higher income level (p < 0.001,S.E = 1.81,B = 6.98), having previous training (p = 0.008,S.E = 1.22,B = 3.27), higher stress level (p < 0.001,S.E = 2.37,B = -21.39), and high professionalism level (p < 0.001,S.E = 1.16,B = 11.99).

CONCLUSION

Having an adequate staff requirement plan, planning appropriate training for nurses, and proactive psychological support are crucial to prevent burnout and continue to provide nursing services.

Sources of Care Stress of Nursing Staff for Patients with Infectious Diseases during the Prevalence of COVID-19: A Case Study of Some Regional Teaching Hospitals in Southern Taiwan

(1) Background: The COVID-19 epidemic had caused more than 100 million confirmed cases worldwide by the end of January 2021. The focus of this study was to explore which stress was felt the most by nursing staff in isolation wards in the face of dangerous infectious diseases. (2) Methods: Nursing staff in negative pressure isolation wards were taken as the research objects. The sources of stress were divided into 14 items in three categories, namely, patient care, infection protection, and support system, and the questionnaire results were ranked by a Gaussian curve. (3) Results: Even during the COVID-19 epidemic, nurses in isolation wards still consider that the clinical symptoms of patients in isolation wards cannot be closely tracked as the primary consideration. (4) Conclusions: During the epidemic period, the ability and confidence of nursing staff were strengthened through education and training, and their chances of infection were reduced through comprehensive vaccination and the improvement of protective equipment. In the face of the unstable mood of patients and their families due to isolation, more protective measures should be prepared for nursing staff. In order to relieve the stress, supervisors can adjust the nursing manpower timely according to the difficulty and risk of patient care to reduce the care stress.

Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Mental Health Professionals Stress Scale

Background: Job stress of mental health professionals can have a negative impact on them, particularly their psychological health and mortality, and may also affect organizations' and institutions' ability to provide quality mental health services to patients. Aim: This study aimed to: (1) investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean Mental Health Professionals Stress Scale (K-MHPSS), (2) develop K-MHPSS cut-off points to measure clinical depression and anxiety, and (3) examine whether specific stressors vary by area of expertise. Methodology: Data were collected via an online survey over 3 months, from August to October 2020. An online survey using a survey website was administered to volunteers who accessed the link and consented to participate. Data from 558 participants (200 clinical psychologists, 157 nurses, and 201 social workers) were included in the final analysis. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of the K-MHPSS; concurrent validity of the scale was determined by analyzing correlation; internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In addition, ROC curve analysis and Youden's index were used to estimate optimal cut-off points for K-MHPSS; one-way ANOVA was performed to investigate the difference among the three groups. Results: The seven-factor model of the original scale did not be replicated by Korean mental health professionals. The K-MHPSS had the best fit with the six-factor model, which consists of 34 items. Concurrent validity was confirmed, and overall reliability was found to be good. The K-MHPSS cut-off points for depression and anxiety appeared to slightly different by professional groups. Furthermore, nurses and social workers showed significantly higher total scores compared to clinical psychologists, and there are significant differences in subscale scores among professionals. Conclusion: The Korean version of the MHPSS has appropriate psychometric properties and can be used to assess the occupational stress of mental health professionals. It can also serve as a reference point for screening clinical level of depression and anxiety in mental health professionals.

When and how do hospital nurses cope with daily stressors? A multilevel study

BACKGROUND

During their workday, nurses face a variety of stressors that are dealt with using different coping strategies. One criticism of the contextual models of work stress is that they fail to focus on individual responses like coping with stress. Neverthless, little is know about the momentary determinants of coping in nurses.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the momentary predictors of problem-focused approaching coping and emotion-focused approaching coping, as well as those for seeking social support and refusal coping strategies, during the working day in nurses.

DESIGN

This study uses descriptive, correlational, two-level design with repeated measures.

SETTINGS

Wards of two University hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

A random cohort of 113 nurses was studied.

METHODS

An ecological momentary assessment was made of demand, control, effort, reward, nursing task, coping, mood and fatigue, and of coping style by questionnaire. Multilevel two-level statistical analyses were performed in order to identify both within person and between person relationships.

RESULTS

Different momentary types of coping were associated with different tasks. The problem-focused coping could be explained by the direct care and medication tasks, demand, planning coping style, mood, and negatively by acceptation coping style. Emotion-focused coping could be explained by documentation and medication tasks (negatively), mood, demand, distraction, and disengagement coping styles. Seeking social support coping could be explained by the task of communication, mood, fatigue (negatively), and seeking emotional support as a coping style. Refusal coping could be explained by mood, and the coping style of focusing and venting emotions. Refusal coping is not specific to any task.

CONCLUSIONS

The choice of the coping strategy depends on the task, of their appraisal and on the different styles of coping.

Work Engagement among Prison Officers. The Role of Individual and Organizational Factors in the Polish and Indonesian Penitentiary Systems

The literature on work engagement among prison officers (POs) remains rather scarce, and there are no analyses on the factors determining this phenomenon. The current study aimed to examine the relationships between work engagement, subjective well-being, coping strategies, and organizational factors utilizing the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9), the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE), and Cantril’s Ladder of Health Scale (CLHS), and involving 312 POs from Poland and 467 POs from Indonesia. Results showed a statistically significant relationship between active coping and work engagement in both groups. Subjective well-being was moderately related to work engagement among Polish POs. Mean work engagement and subjective well-being scores were higher among Indonesian POs. The analyses showed a significant indirect effect of subjective well-being for the relationship between penitentiary unit type, active coping, as well as avoidant behaviors and work engagement in the Polish group. Closed prison officers more often declared higher subjective well-being. Work engagement is a complex psychological phenomenon. There exists a justified need for the analyses to consider personal determinants (e.g., coping strategies) as well as organizational factors related to the POs’ work environment. The literature presents a broad picture of the benefits of studying this phenomenon.

Recovery Experience: A Concept for Maintaining Quality of Life and Its Mediating Effect Among Female Nurses in China

Purpose

Nurses are high-risk groups for job burnout, which affect their quality of life (QOL). Recovery experience, a conceptualization of positive psychological resources, can combat the negative impacts of job burnout on health and QOL. The aim of this study was to examine the mediating effect of recovery experience on the relationship between job burnout and QOL among female nurses in China.

Participants and Methods

QOL information was captured from 1068 female nurses from December 2017 to February 2018 in tertiary hospitals in Shenyang, Liaoning Province of China. A structural equation model was employed to examine the mediating effect of recovery experience on the relationship between job burnout and QOL.

Results

Job burnout had a significant impact on both the mental component summary and the physical component summary of a 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. However, mental component summary scores were significantly lower than physical component summary scores in female nurses. Recovery experience played a mediating role in the relationship between job burnout and QOL.

Conclusion

Job burnout could result in a reduction in QOL among Chinese female nurses. Recovery experience, as a mediating factor, could alleviate the impact of job burnout on QOL. Recovery experience should be strengthened to attenuate job burnout and enhance QOL.

A Longitudinal Cohort Study Investigating Inadequate Preparation and Death and Dying in Nursing Students: Implications for the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Aims and Objectives

To investigate how changes in the levels of preparedness and experiences of death and dying influence nursing students’ mental health.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cause significant trauma in the nursing population. The lack of preparation, in combination with a substantial loss of life, may have implications for the longer-term mental health of the nursing workforce. Nursing students have, in many cases, been an important part of the emergency response.

Design

A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in the academic year 2014/15 with data collected at two time points. There was a 7-month time period between data collection.

Methods

Participants completed paper-based questionnaires measuring demographics, academic stressors, clinical stressors, and mental health. 358 nursing students at time point one and 347 at time point two (97% retention) completed the survey.

Results

Inadequate preparation (OR: 1.783) and the inadequate preparation x death and dying interaction term (OR: 4.115) significantly increased risk of mental health problems over time. Increased death and dying alone did not increase mental health risk.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that it is not the increase in death and dying per se that causes mental health difficulties, but that it is instead the experience of high levels of death and dying in combination with inadequate preparation. The data are considered within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with both inadequate preparation and the scale of death and dying being two significant stressors during the emergency period.

Survey on perceived work stress and its influencing factors among hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan

This study aimed to investigate the perceived work stress and its influencing factors among hospital staff during the novel coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic in Taiwan. A web‐based survey was conducted at one medical center and two regional hospitals in southern Taiwan, targeting physicians, nurses, medical examiners, and administrators. The questionnaire included items on the demographic characteristics of hospital staff and a scale to assess stress among healthcare workers caring for patients with a highly infectious disease. A total of 752 valid questionnaires were collected. The hospital staff reported a moderate level of stress and nurses had a highest level of stress compared to staff in the other three occupational categories. The five highest stress scores were observed for the items “rough and cracked hands due to frequent hand washing and disinfectant use,” “inconvenience in using the toilet at work,” “restrictions on eating and drinking at work,” “fear of transmitting the disease to relatives and friends,” and “fear of being infected with COVID‐19.” Discomfort caused by protective equipment was the major stressor for the participants, followed by burden of caring for patients. Among participants who experienced severe stress (n = 129), work stress was higher among those with rather than without minor children. The present findings may serve as a reference for future monitoring of hospital staff's workload, and may aid the provision of support and interventions.

A Multidisciplinary Focus Review of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Operating Room Personnel

Musculoskeletal disorder is one of the major health issues and is recognized as the second most common occupational disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the different aspects of musculoskeletal disorders in operating room personnel. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of MSDs among operating room personnel, in January 2020. In this study, the authors explored 30 articles from five databases including Medline/PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar. The present study found that physical, psychological, and demographic characteristics including age, gender, work experience, and smoking were the most important risk factors for these disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders were also prevalent in different areas of the body, with the highest prevalence being in the lumbar region. In addition, regular exercise and physical activity, the use of stretching and gentle exercise to reduce physical pressure, regard to the principles of ergonomics in the workplace, regular physical examinations, and awareness of the risk factors for these disorders. Therefore, operating room officials need to promote operating room programs focused on reducing musculoskeletal disorders and increase the awareness of the personnel about the risk factors by conducting training courses.

Failing Is Derailing: The Underperformance as a Stressor Model

Job performance and job stress are widely studied phenomena in occupational research. However, most literatures on the relationship between work stress and job performance conceptualize job stress as an antecedent of performance, in line with the stress-performance framework, and do not examine what happens to the well-being of the employees after the performance was appraised as poor. In the current theoretical paper, I argue that task underperformance is a source of stress (i.e., stressor) for the employee and, as such, can affect a wide range of employee outcomes. Task underperformance is conceptualized as comprised of two main types: acute/episodic underperformance, such as a mistake or an accident (e.g., medical error and service failure), and chronic task underperformance, such as not achieving the expected work products over time, with an interplay between these types. The source of the appraisal (objective, supervisor-rated, and self-rated underperformance) is also considered. Several disjoint literatures are then integrated in order to explain how underperformance is expected to result in subsequent decrements to employee well-being. At the chronic underperformance level, the following literatures are included: self-efficacy, negative effects of performance feedback, and stress experienced when the basic need for competency is frustrated or when underperformance presents a threat to the self-image. At the acute/episodic level, affective and cognitive outcomes are explored, and examples are drawn from several industries including service failures and medical errors. The interplay between the two types of underperformance, acute/episodic and chronic, is discussed, and then relevant moderators are offered. One notable moderator is the occupation-level consequences of error, which likely affects most if not all outcomes. Finally, the discussion includes potential theoretical and practical implications for this conceptualization, as well as some methodological considerations for future research in this area.

Occupational Stress Among Nurses: A Factorial Study with Special Reference to Indore City

Nurses are a stressed group and this may affect their health and work performance. Occurrence of occupational stress among nurses is becoming common and this takes a toll on their health both in terms of physical and mental health. There is minimal research on reducing occupational stress. This study aimed to determine factors of occupation stress within nurses. The present study has been undertaken on 68 employees of hospitals to understand the factors affecting occupational stress. This article reports the major factors that are constituents for occupational stress among nurses of Indore region.

Validation of the Job Content Questionnaire among hospital nurses in Vietnam

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) in Vietnamese among hospital nursing staff.

METHODS

The 22-items version of the JCQ was used. This includes four scales: (a) psychological demands (5 items); (b) job control (9 items); (c) supervisor support (4 items); and (d) coworker support (4 items). All 1258 nurses in a general hospital in Vietnam, excluding 11 who were due to retire, were invited to complete the cross-sectional survey. The internal consistency reliability was estimated using Cronbach's α. Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Convergent validity was evaluated by calculating correlations between the JCQ scores and DASS 21 and overtime work.

RESULTS

In total, 949 (75%) of the 1258 eligible nurses completed the survey. Cronbach's α values demonstrated acceptable internal consistency in two scales (supervisor support α = .87; coworker support α = .86), while Cronbach's α was below the acceptable threshold of 0.70 for job control (α = .45) and job demand (α = .50). EFA assuming a four-factor structure showed a factor structure that was almost identical to the original JCQ, with two items loading on other scales. The subscales of depression, anxiety, and stress response of DASS 21 and the subscales of JCQ were significantly correlated, as expected.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the JCQ in Vietnamese can be used with some reliability and validity for examining psychosocial work environment among nurses. Further studies should be done to confirm and expand our findings in a variety of occupational groups and in other Asian low- and middle-income countries.

How Do Nurses Cope with Shift Work? A Qualitative Analysis of Open-Ended Responses from a Survey of Nurses

Nurses are frequently required to engage in shift work given the 24/7 nature of modern healthcare provision. Despite the health and wellbeing costs associated with shift work, little is known about the types of coping strategies employed by nurses. It may be important for nurses to adopt strategies to cope with shift work in order to prevent burnout, maintain wellbeing, and ensure high quality care to patients. This paper explores common strategies employed by nurses to cope with shift work. A workforce survey was completed by 449 shift working nurses that were recruited from a major metropolitan health service in Melbourne, Australia. Responses to open-ended questions about coping strategies were analysed using the framework approach to thematic analysis. Four interconnected main themes emerged from the data: (i) health practices, (ii) social and leisure, (iii) cognitive coping strategies, and (iv) work-related coping strategies. Although a range of coping strategies were identified, sleep difficulties often hindered the effective use of coping strategies, potentially exacerbating poor health outcomes. Findings suggest that in addition to improving nurses' abilities to employ effective coping strategies on an individual level, workplaces also play an important role in facilitating nurses' wellbeing.

The relationship between quality of life and social support among nurses: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the quality of life (QoL) and its relationship with social support of nurses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed on 241 nurses working at Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. The instruments used in this study were the Persian SF-36 tool, McCain Marquin Social Interaction Questionnaire, and information on individual and job characteristics. The sampling method was cluster sampling with probability proportional to population size. The information was analyzed using SPSS version 18 and with proportional statistics.

RESULTS

Only 31.6% (67) of the nurses had high levels of social support. The average social support was 47/65 ± 93/6. The highest mean score of QoL 67.75 ± 25.023 was related to physical activity and the lowest score mean were related to dimensions of bodily pain (54.59 ±22.727) and role limitations because of physical health problems (59.60 ± 40.261). In the linear regression model with the Enter method, the adjustment of the effects of the variables of the three dimensions of general health, mental health and happiness, and QoL was associated with social support.

CONCLUSION

The majority of nurses have moderate social support and poor QoL for nurses. Therefore, considering the effects of nurse support, it is recommended to perform supportive interventions and plan for more well-being of nurses.

The correlation between occupational stress, coping strategies, and the levels of psychological distress among nurses working in mental health hospital in Jordan

PURPOSE

Psychiatric nurses encounter variety of demanding and stressful events such as dealing with aggressive patients, and hostile. This study purposed to assess workplace stress, coping strategies, and psychiatric distress among psychiatric nurses.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A descriptive explanatory design was employed. One hundred and nineteen psychiatric nurses were recruited in the study and data were collected in the period between June and September 2017.

FINDINGS

The results showed that participants experienced moderate level of occupational stress and psychiatric distress. In addition, they utilized different coping mechanism.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Stress management techniques program is very effective in helping psychiatric nurse to deal with occupational stress which might influence their wellbeing. Moreover, this program assists them to use more effective coping strategies as problem solving.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Perceived Stress, Mindfulness, Emotional Self-Regulation, and Self-Care Habits in Registered Nurses at a Tertiary Care Medical Center

Introduction

Workplace stress and burnout may influence nurses’ physical and emotional well-being, which can impact the quality of care patients receive and their overall satisfaction with their hospitalization.

Objectives

The objectives of the study were to evaluate whether there are significant statistical relationships between nurses’ perceived stress, frequency of stressors, mindfulness, emotional self-regulation, self-care habits, and patient satisfaction scores.

Methods

The study took place over the course of 4 weeks. In this study, 340 nurse participants were surveyed using cross-sectional voluntary sampling design. The survey included previously developed and validated instruments. SAS v. 9.4 was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Significant differences were noted in average patient satisfaction scores by perceived stress; major nursing units in the Death and Dying, Conflict with Physicians, Lack of Support, and Work Load subscales of the Nursing Stress Scale; and major nursing units and dispositional mindfulness.

Conclusions

Hospital administrators can use this information in their organizations and set priorities and tailor mindfulness-based stress-reduction interventions for nursing professionals.

Horizontal violence among nurses: Experiences, responses, and job performance

Horizontal violence (HV), or nonphysical intergroup conflict expressed in overt and covert behaviors of hostility, is pervasive in nursing and has been discussed in the literature for more than two decades. It is costly and has potentially devastating effects including high nurse turnover rates, increased illness, decreased productivity, and decreased quality of patient care. Recognizing how these behaviors are established and sustained is necessary if nurses are to overcome these types of behaviors. This mixed methods study used an online survey to examine 76 hospital nurses' experiences and responses to episodes of HV as well as its effects on job performance. Seven of these nurses answered more in-depth questions during a follow-up interview. Nurses in this study recognize HV as a phenomenon that occurred early in their careers as novice nurses. The literature suggests that these behaviors are evident during nursing education. The academic environment is an ideal place to teach the skills necessary to respond appropriately to HV with peer support being essential. Nurses also reported that manager and staff support and workplace education were the most helpful in reducing HV. Increased workload and stress and HV being accepted practice on the unit were factors identified as most important in promoting HV. Further, nurses cited reasons why they continue in their jobs after episodes of HV. Intervention studies are needed to test effective ways of reducing this very difficult behavior among nurses in the workplace.

Occupational stress, coping strategies, and psychological-related outcomes of nurses working in psychiatric hospitals

AIMS

Psychiatric nurses experience a wide range of stressful events, evolving from the care of violent, aggressive patients, recurrent relapse, and poor prognosis of mental disorders. The aim of the study was to assess workplace stress, coping strategies, and levels of depression among psychiatric nurses.

METHODS

A descriptive correlation design was conducted on psychiatric nurses working in mental health settings Port-Said, Egypt. Data were collected from 70 nurses at a mental health hospital.

RESULTS

The results revealed that psychiatric nurses had moderate levels of work-related stress and depression, and exhibiting different coping strategies. Stress and depression are prevalent among psychiatric nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing programs aimed at teaching them how to deal with stress at work and improving their coping strategies and problem-solving skills are recommended.

Investigation of the key determinants of Asian nurses' quality of life

The study aimed to compare nurses' quality of life and investigate key determinants among Asian countries with different economic status. A cross-sectional survey was conducted across five Asian countries (Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Bhutan). Quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), job stress (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health questionnaire), and demographic data were assessed. Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the key determinants of quality of life. Participants were 3,829 nurses (response rate: 82%) with a mean age of 33 ± 10 yr and majority were women (92%). Regarding quality of life, Bhutan yielded the highest scores, followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Japan, and these results were statistically significant. The key determinants that were significantly related to quality of life were "stress coping ability," "life satisfaction," "Japan," "social support," "job stress," and "Singapore" (adjusted R²=0.46). In conclusion, nurses' quality of life differs across Asian countries and is not linked to the country's economic development. To maintain a good quality of life for nurses, an international exchange program like international nursing conferences for work environment and staff coping strategies is recommended to broaden institution' minds and share experiences and exchange views to be able to realize their own problems and discover global solutions to them.

Sexual Satisfaction, Marital Intimacy, and Depression in Married Iranian Nurses With and Without Symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress

Nurses tend to experience a lot of stress and psychological pressure in their workplace. Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is a condition that can cause marital and psychological problems in married nurses. The present study was conducted to compare sexual satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression in married nurses with and without severe symptoms of STS. The statistical population consisted of 303 married nurses selected through cluster sampling from three hospitals in Kermanshah, Iran, including Imam Reza (86 nurses), Imam Ali (110 nurses), and Taleghani (107 nurses) hospitals. Data were collected using the STS Scale, the Sexual Satisfaction Scale, the Marital Intimacy Questionnaire, and Beck's Depression Inventory (short-form) or BDI-13. The results obtained showed that 22.4% of all the nurses, 22.9% of the female nurses, and 21.8% of the male nurses had symptoms of STS and the mean score of the symptoms was higher in the female compared with the male nurses (P < .01). The results of the two-way multivariate analysis of covariance showed higher mean scores of sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy in the group without STS symptoms and a higher mean score of depression in the group with STS symptoms (P < .01). Psychologists and hospital authorities should pay more attention to the psychological problems faced by nurses, such as STS and its effects on sexual satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression.

A cross-sectional study for the impact of coping strategies on mental health disorders among psychiatric nurses

Several studies report that psychiatric nursing is a highly stressful occupation. The ways that nurses use in order to deal with stressful situations have a serious effect on their psychological mood and their health status. The purpose of this study was to investigate the coping strategies in predicting of depression and anxiety among mental health nurses working in public psychiatric hospitals. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Athens, Greece from April to May 2017. A questionnaire consisting of the socio-demographic and work-related characteristics, the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, and the 38-items Ways of Coping Questionnaire - Greek version, was completed by a total of 110 mental health nurses. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the logistic regression model. Coping strategies focused on the problem (positive re-evaluation, positive approach, problem solving, and seeking social support) were the most commonly used by the mental health nurses. Strategies focused on emotion (prayer/daydream, prayer, avoidance/escape, resignation, and denial) were positively associated with depression and anxiety outcomes. Also, the coping skills of problem solving (Adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR=0.402), and seeking social support (AOR=3.719) were significant predictors only for elevated anxiety symptoms. The results from the study demonstrated the importance of coping behaviours in mental health problems of psychiatric nurses.

Factors affecting conscience-based nursing practices: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Conscience is a guiding factor in nursing practice for delivering the ultimate care. In order to expand the concept of conscience-based care, factors affecting conscience in nursing practice need to be identified.

OBJECTIVES

The current study assessed nurses' experiences to explore factors affecting conscience in nursing practice.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This qualitative content analysis study employed purposive sampling to reach 14 nurses working at educational hospitals in Tabriz and Urmia, Iran. Data were analyzed using inductive and conventional analysis.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Urmia University of Medical Science. Voluntary participation, anonymity, and confidentiality were considered.

FINDING

Two themes emerged from our analysis for enhancing conscience in nursing practices, including environment of professional performance and personal factors.

DISCUSSION

The two important factors for enhancing conscience in nursing practice are environment and personal factors.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to emphasize on religious beliefs, professional commitment, and communication skills in educational training structure. Also, establishing appropriate management systems will help nurses to provide moral care.

Health of health care workers in Canadian nursing homes and pediatric hospitals: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Poor health of health care workers affects quality of care, but research and health data for health care workers are scarce. Our aim was to compare physical/mental health among health care worker groups 1) within nursing homes and pediatric hospitals, 2) between the 2 settings and 3) with the physical/mental health of the Canadian population.

METHODS

Using cross-sectional data collected as part of the Translating Research in Elder Care program and the Translating Research on Pain in Children program, we examined the health of health care workers. In nursing homes, 169 registered nurses, 139 licensed practical nurses, 1506 care aides, 145 allied health care providers and 69 managers were surveyed. In pediatric hospitals, 63 physicians, 747 registered nurses, 155 allied health care providers, 49 nurse educators and 22 managers were surveyed. After standardization of the data for age and sex, we applied analyses of variance and general linear models, adjusted for multiple testing.

RESULTS

Nursing home workers and registered nurses in pediatric hospitals had poorer mental health than the Canadian population. Scores were lowest for registered nurses in nursing homes (mean difference -4.4 [95% confidence interval -6.6 to -2.6]). Physicians in pediatric hospitals and allied health care providers in nursing homes had better physical health than the general population. We also found important differences in physical/mental health for care provider groups within and between care settings.

INTERPRETATION

Mental health is especially poor among nursing home workers, who care for a highly vulnerable and medically complex population of older adults. Strategies including optimized work environments are needed to improve the physical and mental health of health care workers to ameliorate quality of patient care.

An integrative review of the influence of job strain and coping on nurses' work performance: Understanding the gaps in oncology nursing research

Nursing is known to be a stressful profession that can lead to physical and psychological health issues and behavioural problems. In oncology, workload among nurses is believed to be increasing in conjunction with rapidly increasing numbers of patients with cancer and staff shortages worldwide, therefore it is essential to sustain a quality oncology nurse workforce. Numerous studies have presented evidence on job strain, effects of coping strategies, and nurses' work performance within healthcare settings, but few have focused on oncology settings and none of these on nurses working in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this review was to summarize empirical and theoretical evidence concerning job-related stressors in nurses, particularly oncology nurses, and the interrelationships among job strain, coping strategies, and work performance in this population. Search strategies identified studies published on studies in peer-reviewed journals from 2004 to 2016. Twenty-five nursing studies were found examining the relationships among the concepts of interest. Common job-related stressors among oncology nurses were high job demands, dealing with death/dying, lack of job control, and interpersonal conflicts at work. Job strain was found to be significantly linked to coping strategies, and negatively associated with work performance among nurses in general. There is no existing empirical evidence to support the relationship between coping strategies and work performance among oncology nurses. The present evidence is limited, and a considerable amount of research is required in the future to expand the oncology nursing literature. Research is needed to investigate job-related stressors and their effects on oncology nurses.

Exploring Nursing Intention, Stress, and Professionalism in Response to Infectious Disease Emergencies: The Experience of Local Public Hospital Nurses During the 2015 MERS Outbreak in South Korea

Purpose

This study aimed to examine levels of stress and professionalism of nurses who provided nursing care during the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak based on their experience, to investigate the nurses' intention to respond to possible future outbreaks in relation to their experience during the outbreak, and to determine the relationship between the outbreak experience and nursing intention considering stress and professionalism.

Methods

A self-administered questionnaire was designed based on modifications of related questionnaires, and used to assess levels of stress, professionalism, and nursing intention according to participants' experiences during the outbreak. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the outbreak nursing experience and nursing intention considering stress and nursing professionalism.

Results

The overall stress, professionalism, and nursing intention scores for the firsthand experience group were 33.72, 103.00, and 16.92, respectively, whereas those of the secondhand experience group were 32.25, 98.99, and 15.60, respectively. There were significant differences in professionalism and nursing intention scores between the groups (p = .001 and p < .001, respectively). The regression analysis revealed that the regression estimate between stress and nursing intention was B(SE) = −0.08(0.02), beta = −0.21, p < .001 and the regression estimate between professionalism in nursing and nursing intention was B(SE) = 0.05(0.01), beta = 0.23, p < .001.

Conclusion

Prior outbreak nursing experience was importantly associated with intention to provide care for patients with a newly emerging infectious disease in the future considering stress and professionalism. Gathering information about nurses' experience of epidemics and regular assessment of job stress and professionalism are required.

Flow in Nurses: A Study of Its Relationship With Health and Burnout in a Hospital Work Context

How does the experience of flow among nurses influences their health? This question is addressed on the basis of a model of flow, stress, burnout, and coping. The results indicate that promoting flow can be a way to enhance the health of ward nurses in a hospital work context.

Does waterfall aerosol influence mucosal immunity and chronic stress? A randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The specific microclimate of alpine waterfalls with high levels of ionized water aerosols has been suggested to trigger beneficial immunological and psychological effects. In the present three-armed randomized controlled clinical study, we focused on effects on (i) immunological reagibility, on (ii) physiological stress responses, and on (iii) stress-related psychological parameters.

METHODS

People with moderate to high stress levels (n = 65) spent an active sojourn with daily hiking tours in the National Park Hohe Tauern (Großkirchheim, Austria). Half of the group was exposed to water aerosol of an alpine waterfall for 1 h/day (first arm, n = 33), whereas the other half spent the same time at a distant site (second arm, n = 32). A third arm (control, n = 26) had no intervention (except vaccination) and stayed at home, maintaining their usual lifestyle. The effect of the interventions on the immune system was tested by oral vaccination with an approved cholera vaccine and measuring specific salivary IgA antibody titers. Lung function was determined by peak expiratory flow measurement. Electric skin conductance, heart rate, and adaption of respiration rate were assessed as physiological stress parameters. Psychological stress-related parameters were analyzed by questionnaires and scales.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, both intervention groups showed improvement of the lung function and of most physiological stress test parameters. Analysis of the mucosal immune response revealed a waterfall-specific beneficial effect with elevated IgA titers in the waterfall group. In line with these results, exposure to waterfall revealed an additional benefit concerning psychological parameters such as subjective stress perception (measured via visual analog scale), the Global Severity Index (GSI), and the Positive Symptom Total (PST).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides new data, which strongly support an "added value" of exposure to waterfall microclimate when combined with a therapeutic sojourn at high altitude including regular physical activity.

The Correlates of Quality of Life Among Jordanian Patients With Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Addressing the quality of life (QOL) of patients with schizophrenia is of special importance in the Arab world, where little knowledge is available about their well-being, and most of them experience stigma and living in poverty.

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of sociodemographic characteristics, severity of depressive symptoms, and various aspects of public stigma against mental illness, with QOL among Jordanian patients with schizophrenia.

METHOD

In this descriptive correlational study, 160 Jordanian outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia completed measures of demographic characteristics, perceived public stigma against mental illness, severity of depression, and QOL.

RESULTS

Participants had poor QOL. Age, marital status, relapse, education level, stigma against mental illness, and severity of depression were significantly associated with QOL among Jordanian patients with schizophrenia. Data analysis revealed that the severity of depression accounted for an additional 27% of the variance above and beyond the 36.7% accounted for by age of the participants and perceived public stigma against mental illness.

CONCLUSIONS

Health care professionals should develop culturally competent nursing practice considering the specific factors associated with QOL among Arab patients with schizophrenia.

Prevalence of burnout in Polish anesthesiologists and anesthetist nursing professionals: A comparative non-randomized cross-sectional study

The purpose of the study was to assess the burnout levels in nurses ( N = 161) versus physicians ( N = 373). The levels of burnout were evaluated by the Polish adaptation of the Spanish Burnout Inventory (Cronbach's alpha > .70). High burnout level was found in 18.63 percent nurses and 12.06 percent anesthesiologists, and critical level in 3.74 percent nurses and 5.90 percent anesthetists. There were statistically significant differences in Burnout global score, Enthusiasm toward the job, Psychological exhaustion, and Indolence subscales between nurses and physicians. No significant differences were found between sexes in any variable.

Cultural Influence on Coping Strategies of Filipino Immigrant Nurses

Much of the research on internationally educated nurses (IENs) has focused on the challenges they encounter in the United States and how they can best be integrated into the workplace. Despite their many challenges, Filipino IENs continue to come to the United States and thrive, bringing with them diverse experience and knowledge that contribute to the provision of quality care to a patient population that is becoming increasingly diverse. Although a substantial body of research has been published on IEN coping, fewer studies have focused on the influence of culture on Filipino IEN's preferred coping strategies. This study contributes to the burgeoning interest in understanding culture's influence on coping patterns and preferences among diverse populations. Occupational health nurses and administrators can use these findings to develop culturally appropriate health promotion programs and interventions to retain quality nurses and promote healthier workplaces.

Managing and mitigating conflict in healthcare teams: an integrative review

AIM

To review empirical studies examining antecedents (sources, causes, predictors) in the management and mitigation of interpersonal conflict.

BACKGROUND

Providing quality care requires positive, collaborative working relationships among healthcare team members. In today's increasingly stress-laden work environments, such relationships can be threatened by interpersonal conflict. Identifying the underlying causes of conflict and choice of conflict management style will help practitioners, leaders and managers build an organizational culture that fosters collegiality and create the best possible environment to engage in effective conflict management.

DESIGN

Integrative literature review.

DATA SOURCES

CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Proquest ABI/Inform, Cochrane Library and Joanne Briggs Institute Library were searched for empirical studies published between 2002-May 2014.

REVIEW METHODS

The review was informed by the approach of Whittemore and Knafl. Findings were extracted, critically examined and grouped into themes.

RESULTS

Forty-four papers met the inclusion criteria. Several antecedents influence conflict and choice of conflict management style including individual characteristics, contextual factors and interpersonal conditions. Sources most frequently identified include lack of emotional intelligence, certain personality traits, poor work environment, role ambiguity, lack of support and poor communication. Very few published interventions were found.

CONCLUSION

By synthesizing the knowledge and identifying antecedents, this review offers evidence to support recommendations on managing and mitigating conflict. As inevitable as conflict is, it is the responsibility of everyone to increase their own awareness, accountability and active participation in understanding conflict and minimizing it. Future research should investigate the testing of interventions to minimize these antecedents and, subsequently, reduce conflict.

Conflict management style of Jordanian nurse managers and its relationship to staff nurses' intent to stay

AIM

To explore the relationship between conflict management styles used by nurse managers and intent to stay of staff nurses.

BACKGROUND

Nursing shortages require managers to focus on the retention of staff nurses. Understanding the relationship between conflict management styles of nurse managers and intent to stay of staff nurses is one strategy to retain nurses in the workforce.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive quantitative study was carried out in Jordan. The Rahim organization conflict inventory II (ROCI II) was completed by 42 nurse managers and the intent to stay scale was completed by 320 staff nurses from four hospitals in Jordan. The anova analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

An integrative style was the first choice for nurse managers and the last choice was a dominating style. The overall level of intent to stay for nurses was moderate. Nurses tend to keep their current job for 2-3 years. There was a negative relationship between the dominating style as a conflict management style and the intent to stay for nurses.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study support the claim that leadership practices affect the staff nurses' intent to stay and the quality of care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Nurse managers can improve the intent to stay for staff nurses if they use the appropriate conflict management styles.

Stress in parents of children born very preterm is predicted by child externalising behaviour and parent coping at age 7 years

OBJECTIVE

To examine factors which predict parenting stress in a longitudinal cohort of children born very preterm, and seen at age 7 years.

METHODS

We recruited 100 very preterm (≤32 weeks gestational age) child-parent dyads and a control group of 50 term-born dyads born between 2001 and 2004 with follow-up at 7 years. Parents completed the Parenting Stress Index, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, Child Behavior Check List, Beck Depression Inventory and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaires. Child IQ was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale-IV.

RESULTS

After controlling for maternal education, parents of preterm children (95% CI 111.1 to 121.4) scored higher (p=0.027) on the Parenting Stress Index than term-born controls (95% CI 97.8 to 113.2). Regression analyses showed that child externalising behaviour, sex and parent escape/avoidance coping style, predicted higher parenting stress in the preterm group. Parents of preterm girls expressed higher levels of stress than those of boys.

CONCLUSIONS

Maladaptive coping strategies contribute to greater stress in parents of very preterm children. Our findings suggest that these parents need support for many years after birth of a very preterm infant.

The Impact of Healthcare Workers Job Environment on Their Mental-emotional Health. Coping Strategies: The Case of a Local General Hospital

Workplace stress can influence healthcare professionals' physical and emotional well-being by curbing their efficiency and having a negative impact on their overall quality of life. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact that work environment in a local public general hospital can have on the health workers' mental-emotional health and find strategies in order to cope with negative consequences. The study took place from July 2010 to October 2010. Our sample consisted of 200 healthcare professionals aged 21-58 years working in a 240-bed general hospital and the response rate was 91.36%). Our research protocol was first approved by the hospital's review board. A standardized questionnaire that investigates strategies for coping with stressful conditions was used. A standardized questionnaire was used in the present study Coping Strategies for Stressful Events, evaluating the strategies that persons employ in order to overcome a stressful situation or event. The questionnaire was first tested for validity and reliability which were found satisfactory (Cronbach's α=0.862). Strict anonymity of the participants was guaranteed. The SPSS 16.0 software was used for the statistical analysis. Regression analysis showed that health professionals' emotional health can be influenced by strategies for dealing with stressful events, since positive re-assessment, quitting and seeking social support are predisposing factors regarding the three first quality of life factors of the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF. More specifically, for the physical health factor, positive re-assessment (t=3.370, P=0.001) and quitting (t=-2.564, P=0.011) are predisposing factors. For the 'mental health and spirituality' regression model, positive re-assessment (t=5.528, P=0.000) and seeking social support (t=-1.991, P=0.048) are also predisposing factors, while regarding social relationships positive re-assessment (t=4.289, P=0.000) is a predisposing factor. According to our findings, there was a notable lack of workplace stress management strategies, which the participants usually perceive as a lack of interest on behalf of the management regarding their emotional state. Some significant factors for lowering workplace stress were found to be the need to encourage and morally reward the staff and also to provide them with opportunities for further or continuous education.