Occupational stress facing nurse academics—A mixed‐methods systematic review

Austerity Measures and the Resilience of Zimbabwe's Healthcare System: Challenges and Solutions

Austerity measures have become a contentious topic, shaping the landscape of health care systems around the world. As governments grapple with economic challenges, the impact of austerity on health care has emerged as a critical concern. This study focuses on the consequences of austerity actions adopted by the Zimbabwean government under the Transitional Stabilization Program (TSP) from August 2018 to December 2025. This research examines the impact of austerity measures on Zimbabwe's health care sector, exploring its connections with health infrastructure and resources, accessibility and affordability of health care, health funding, health care inequalities, and the health care workforce. Using a quantitative approach and data from 970 participants, including the general populace, health care providers, and government officials, significant positive correlations between austerity measures and these health care variables were identified. The findings indicated a noteworthy positive correlation between the independent variable "austerity measures" and five dependent variables: health care accessibility and affordability, health care inequalities, infrastructure and resources, health care funding, and health care workforce. The t-statistics values exceeded the threshold of 1.96, with values of 5.085, 3.120, 6.459, 8.517, and 3.830, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of considering the effects of austerity on health care access, health funding, health care inequalities, health workforce, health infrastructure and resources development. Policymakers should prioritize equitable resource allocation and targeted investments to strengthen the resilience of the health care system during economic challenges. Understanding these associations is crucial for evidence-based policy decisions and fostering a more equitable and resilient health care system in Zimbabwe.

Occupational stress and associated sources and risk factors among nurses in Gaza strip, Palestine: A cross-sectional survey

AIM

To determine the occurrence of occupational stress among Palestinian nurses, and their associated sources and risk factors.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive design.

METHODS

A total of 250 registered nurses from eight governmental hospitals, using a convenience sampling method. Data collection were conducted using the 30-items self-reported Occupational Stress Scale from December 2022 to March 2023. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were applied to analysis data. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of high occupational stress levels was 64.8% (Mean = 3.9 out of 5). The main sources of stress are too much responsibility and work, understaffing, lack of promotion and recognition, inadequate pay, time pressure, and management style. The results regression analysis demonstrated that male nurses with a Masters or PhD degree and those working in fixed shifts experienced higher occupational stress. Moreover, participants who worked overtime hours were more susceptible to stress.

CONCLUSIONS

The research indicates that occupational stress presents a notable challenge for nurses in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. It suggests that in order to alleviate this stress, decision-makers in healthcare policy and hospital management should prioritize the execution of strategies aimed at addressing the primary stressors and risk factors identified.

REPORTING METHOD

This study adhered to the STROBE guidelines.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

A total of 250 registered nurses were taken part in this study by answering a self-administered study survey.

Factors affecting psychological resilience, self-efficacy and job satisfaction of nurse academics: A cross-sectional study

AIM

The study aimed to determine the factors affecting psychological resilience, self-efficacy and job satisfaction in nurse academics.

BACKGROUND

Nurse academics follow an emotionally and mentally intense career path, along which they are required to balance many different roles and responsibilities, including teaching, research and guidance. However, in some cases, this equilibrium is disrupted and may cause functional disruptions; in achieving this balance, resilience, self-efficacy and job satisfaction play important roles.

METHODS

The data of this cross-sectional study were collected between January and April 2023, and 446 nurse academics were included in the study. The Descriptive Characteristics Information Form, Brief Psychological Resilience Scale (BPRS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS) were used to collect the research data.We adhered to the STROBE checklist for reporting.

RESULTS

A significant positive relationship was found between general self-efficacy levels and psychological resilience and job satisfaction levels. There is a significant positive relationship between job satisfaction levels and age, total years of service, psychological resilience and general self-efficacy levels. In addition, it has been noted that family relationships, friend relationships and academic title factors were effective on the nurse academics' psychological resilience, self-efficacy and job satisfaction levels.

CONCLUSION

Managers can play an important role in increasing the psychological resilience, self-efficacy and job satisfaction levels of nurse academics by developing strategies for these effective factors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND NURSING POLICY

Governments need to ensure that nurse academics have an appropriate career framework that enables them to balance the competing demands on their time and that they have adequate mentoring and support in the early stages of their careers to enable them to adapt to working life as a nurse academic.

Nurse Faculty Job Satisfaction: A Concept Analysis

BACKGROUND

This study provides an analysis of the concept of nurse faculty job satisfaction.

METHOD

Walker and Avant's (2019) eight-step method guided this analysis. Searches of the CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane databases were performed with the following terms: faculty, nursing, nurs* faculty, nurs* educator, job satisfaction, work satisfaction, and employee satisfaction. Thirty-seven articles published between 2010 and 2022 in the field of nursing were included.

RESULTS

Three defining attributes of nurse faculty job satisfaction were identified: psychological empowerment, self-efficacy, and motivational factors (achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, work, and growth). Antecedents included mentoring, effective leadership, structural support, and work culture and relationships. The consequences of nurse faculty job satisfaction were commitment (professional and organizational) and work efficiency, which included productivity, creativity, and innovation.

CONCLUSION

This concept analysis showed the attributes of nurse faculty job satisfaction are intrinsic and the antecedents are extrinsic. An operational definition was proposed, and a conceptual model was created. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(7):331-337.].

An intervention to address nurse educators' occupational well-being: A process evaluation

BACKGROUND

There is a global need for more support for the occupational well-being of educators working in nurse education, where nurse educators experience challenges when managing their own occupational well-being. However, there is a lack of research studies into occupational well-being interventions. Aim To evaluate the usability and utility of the Self-Help INtervention for Educators in nurse education.

DESIGN

A process evaluation was conducted after the intervention in Spring 2022.

SETTINGS

Educational organisations providing national regulated practical nurse education in Finland.

PARTICIPANTS

Nurse educators (n = 37), completing the 8-workweek intervention.

METHODS

Data were collected with the self-reported electronic feedback questionnaire consisting of three sections: 1) 10-item System Usability Scale, 2) 7-item Utility scale developed for this study and 3) 4 open ended questions. The data were analysed statistically and with content analysis.

RESULTS

The intervention was found to be usable; especially the easy learnability and usage of the digital Smart Break-SHINE program and the applicable exercises. It was estimated to be moderately useful as a well-being and break promoter at work. The utility of the intervention to promote physical activity and recovery during working hours was statistically more positive for educators with <5 years of work experience than those with over 15 years. Usability and utility barriers were found especially regarding workload issues.

CONCLUSIONS

The Self-Help INtervention for Educators supports the occupational well-being of nurse educators and includes well-being actions suitable for different work surroundings (e.g., remote working) without the need for constant facilitating. The intervention was found to be most beneficial for early career nurse educators. The Self-Help INtervention for Educators needs more development to overcome the usability and utility barriers related to workload issues.

Saudi Arabian Nurses' Motivations and Barriers to Employment in Inpatient Mental Health Facilities: A Qualitative Investigation

BACKGROUND

The shortage of inpatient psychiatric mental health care nurses in Saudi Arabia represents an important health care challenge.

AIM

The aim of this study was to illuminate perspectives of psychiatric mental health nurses employed in psychiatric inpatient settings about their employment experiences.

METHOD

This study adopted an exploratory qualitative approach using thematic content analysis. Ten professional nurses with psychiatric inpatient caring experience participated in two focus groups composed of Master of Nursing students.

RESULTS

Four main themes emerged: inadequate professional skills and knowledge for psychiatric mental health care practice, negative public attitudes toward psychiatric/mental health nurses, concerns for personal safety, and alternatives and advantages. The findings of this study suggest that nurses' lack of interest in working in psychiatric units is not merely personal but also social and organizational.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings may encourage managers and authorities to develop measures to attract more mental health nurses to work in psychiatric units. Such strategies may include modification of nurses' skills, training, and professional knowledge, collegial supervision, mentoring, and working conditions and environment.

Exploring the concept and management strategies of caring stress among clinical nurses: a scoping review

Objective

The concept of caring stress and its specific management has received less attention than other dimensions of stress in nurses. Therefore, to clarify the concept of caring stress, a scoping review study was designed. This scoping review aimed to investigate the concept of caring stress among clinical nurses and examine the strategies used for its management.

Methods

This review employed a scoping review methodology to comprehensively map the essential concepts and attributes of the phenomenon by drawing on a wide range of sources. International databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scientific Information Database (SID) were searched to gather relevant studies published until October 1, 2023. MESH terms included "caring stress", "care", "stress", "nurse", and "stress management" were used. Two reviewers independently collected data from full-text papers, ensuring that each paper underwent assessment by at least two reviewers.

Results

Out of 104,094 articles initially searched, 22 articles were included in this study. High workloads, transmitting the infection, stressful thoughts, stressful emotions, and stressful communications were the significant concepts and factors of caring stress among nurses. Also, rest breaks during patient care shifts, playing music in the ward, and denial of critical situations were examples of positive and negative coping and management ways to reduce caring stress.

Conclusion

Effective stress management strategies can lead to better patient care and safety. Stressed nurses are more likely to make errors or become less vigilant in their duties, impacting patient outcomes. By addressing caring stress, clinical practice can prioritize patient well-being. Further research is required to delve deeper into this critical issue concerning nurses in the future.

The role of arts therapies in mitigating Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders: a systematic review

Introduction

Arts therapies offer effective non-pharmacological intervention for Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders (SIMDs), encompassing both passive and active modalities. This review assesses their effectiveness and ethical considerations, focusing on music therapy, meditation, and Tai Chi.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, a detailed search across PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI identified 17 relevant RCTs. Utilizing the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) quality criteria and the PICO(S) framework for data extraction ensured methodological integrity.

Results

Analysis shows arts therapies significantly improve sleep quality. Music therapy and meditation yield immediate benefits, while Tai Chi and Qigong require longer commitment for significant outcomes.

Discussion

The link between SIMDs and mental health issues like anxiety, stress, and depression suggests arts therapies not only enhance sleep quality but also address underlying mental health conditions. The evidence supports a wider adoption of arts therapies in treating SIMDs due to their dual benefits.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO, ID: CRD42024506393.

Occupational well-being among health and social care educators: Structural equation modelling

This study tested whether empirical data about health and social care educators' occupational well-being would fit the proposed Content Model for the Promotion of the School Community Staff's Occupational Well-being. Descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 552 health and social care educators in 2020. Results confirmed that the four-aspect Content Model for the Promotion of School Community Staff's Occupational Well-being is suitable for promoting health and social care educators' occupational well-being, with some modifications. The results strengthen the view of occupational well-being as a wide-ranging phenomenon, the development of which should take into account four aspects of promoting occupational well-being.

Academic nurses' transition across an academic career: A qualitative study

AIM

The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of nurse academics' experiences with the transition from clinical practice to academia and throughout their whole career trajectory.

DESIGN

Qualitative study design.

METHODS

Three focus group interviews with 17 nurse academics employed at a University in Norway were conducted in May and June 2020. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Nurse academics experienced several diverse career transitions that continued throughout their whole career trajectory, affecting their daily life. Three interconnected themes were identified: 'clinically confident, yet academically uncertain', 'balancing the academic role' and 'lost in academic transition'.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to a deeper understanding of nurse academics' experiences of transitioning into their academic role and identity. Transition was found not as separate occurrences but was described as several ongoing and concurrent processes throughout their whole career trajectory regardless of seniority level or academic experience. These transitions encompass shifts in identity, new responsibilities and increased tasks, yet often occur without adequate support. As a result, nurse academics may lack the essential skills and knowledge of the academic role.

IMPACT

This study provides insights into nurse academics' transition from clinical practice to academia and throughout their whole career trajectory. This is not a one-time occurrence but a continuous process that takes place throughout their entire career trajectory. This transition is embedded within a complex environment that requires careful consideration and attention. To address challenges regarding career transitions for nurse academics, universities should provide more training and preparation opportunities for all nurse academics when facing different career transitions.

REPORTING METHOD

Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

Career development of doctorally prepared nurses

AIM

To integrate research literature regarding careers, career development and factors influencing the career development of doctorally prepared nurses.

DESIGN

An integrative review.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, CINAHL and Embase were searched in June 2022 without time restrictions.

METHODS

Peer-reviewed empirical publications written in English with different types of study designs were included. Two researchers independently applied eligibility criteria, selected studies and conducted quality appraisals using Joanna Briggs checklists. Data were extracted and analysed using a convergent integrated approach with thematic analysis. Themes were established within three categories based on the research questions: career, career development and factors influencing career development.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies were included. Nine themes were identified. One theme regarding careers describes that doctorally prepared nurses need to prioritize work within different positions. The two themes focusing on career development described the need to determine career goals after the doctorate and further develop competencies. Six themes described factors influencing career development: 'Intrinsic motivation to improve health care and nursing education', 'Available support sources', 'Professional development programmes', 'Work-life balance', 'Organizational infrastructures for career advancement' and 'Competition and hostile treatment among colleagues'.

CONCLUSION

Limited knowledge of the careers and career development of doctorally prepared nurses was found. Doctorally prepared nurses need to balance work with various part-time positions. Careers and career development could be supported by the development of structures for career advancement as well as supportive working environments.

IMPACT

Doctorally prepared nurses with strong careers are important to health care and nursing as they generate and implement new knowledge into clinical practice and thereby support the improvement of (nursing) care and patient outcomes. This study provides considerations towards strengthening the careers of doctorally prepared nurses.

REPORTING METHOD

PRISMA.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No Patient or Public Contribution.

Professional competence, personal occupational well-being, and mental workload of nurse educators - A cross-sectional study in four European countries

BACKGROUND

Nurse educators need a high level of professional competence to educate future health care professionals. Professional competence supports occupational well-being whilst high mental workload can undermine it. There is little existing research into nurse educators' professional competence, occupational well-being, mental workload, and the relationships between them, particularly in the European context.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the professional competence, personal occupational well-being, and mental workload of nurse educators in four European countries, and to explore how the professional competence and mental workload of nurse educators relate to their personal occupational well-being.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study design with quantitative survey data.

SETTING

Nurse educators from Finland, Spain, Slovakia, and Malta.

METHODS

The data were collected from 302 nurse educators through an online questionnaire which used the Health and Social Care Educator's Competence (HeSoEduCo) instrument. This contains 43 items which measure areas of professional competence. Statistical analysis involved descriptive and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Nurse educators self-assessed their overall professional competence as high. Competence in evidence-based practice was assessed as the highest whilst cultural competence was perceived to be the lowest of the six competence areas. Nurse educators perceived their levels of personal occupational well-being and the balance of mental workload as moderate. However, these levels varied between the four countries. Professional competence, more specifically administrative and curriculum competence, and a balanced mental workload were positively related to personal occupational well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

The educators who perceive themselves to have very good professional competence and a balanced mental workload are more likely to report high occupational well-being. The findings suggest that nurse educators' cultural competence needs to be strengthened and intervention research is needed to determine ways of reducing mental workload and increasing the occupational well-being of nurse educators.

Insights from the pandemic: an autoethnography of nursing clinical placement teams

BACKGROUND

Designated placement staff, including academics, professional clinical support teams and stakeholder clinical teams, are responsible for organising students' clinical placements. Disciplines have reported sustained innovations in the way placement staff work following the pandemic. There are few published reports from nursing placement staff. Aim: Understand how challenges during the pandemic, may have led to disrupting the status quo for nursing placement staff.

DESIGN

Nine academic, professional and industry nursing placement staff reflected on their daily work practices and team culture post the pandemic disruptions. The reflections were analysed using a descriptive thematic approach.

RESULTS

Staff described "a double-edged sword" balancing fatigue from the dynamic situation increasing their workloads with wanting to seize opportunities to challenge the status quo. Three themes were identified.

CONCLUSION

Clinical placement staff shared reflections are useful for identifying workplace initiatives that may enhance nursing and other disciplinary placement staff team culture and ways of working.

Construction and evaluation of a predictive model for compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Compassion fatigue is a syndrome resulting from long-term work-related traumatic event stress exposure of medical staff. The emergency department is considered to be a high-risk, high-intensity and high-stress work environment, with a high prevalence of trauma and violence. Nurses in the emergency department are more prone to compassion fatigue than nurses in other departments. Compassion fatigue not only affects the physical and mental health, and job satisfaction of emergency department nurses, but also causes serious consequences for patients, such as poor patient outcome, medical errors, and increased patient mortality during hospitalization.

OBJECTIVES

Our study aims to develop and evaluate a predictive model for compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

DATA SOURCES

The emergency department nurses (N = 1014) were recruited from 21 tertiary hospitals (from Chengdu, Chongqing, Guiyang, Guangzhou and Shanghai) in central, southwestern, southern, and eastern China from July 25, 2022 to October 30, 2022.

METHODS

Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the potential predictive factors associated with compassion fatigue in emergency department nurses. A nomogram was built based on the predictive factors and internally evaluated using a bootstrap resampling method (1000 bootstrap resamples). The performance of the predictive model was evaluated by measuring the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test and calibration curve.

RESULTS

The prevalence of compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses was 75.9 %. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the independent predictive factors for compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses were working position, job satisfaction, diet habit, sleep hours per day, occupational stress, physical harassment and the level of workplace violence, all of which were identified to create the nomogram. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test indicated that the predictive model was well calibrated (χ2 = 11.520, P = 0.174). The bootstrap-corrected concordance index of nomogram was 0.821 (95 % CI: 0.791-0.851). The calibration curve of the nomogram showed good consistency between the predicted and actual probabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

A predictive model of compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses has been developed, based on the general demographic, work-related and lifestyle characteristics, occupational stress, and workplace violence, with satisfactory predictive ability. This model can identify emergency department nurses who are at high risk of compassion fatigue. Our study provides an empirical basis for early detection, early diagnosis and early intervention of emergency department nurses at high risk of compassion fatigue.

Effect of stachys lavandulifolia on occupational stress in emergency medical technicians

OBJECTIVE

According to studies, occupational stress is quite prevalent among Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). On the other hand, it has been shown that Stachys lavandulifolia, also known as the Mountain Tea in Iran, has anxiolytic properties. Considering the current increasing trend of using remedies based on alternative medicine for stress management, the present clinical trial intended to investigate the effect of Stachys lavandulifolia on occupational stress in EMTs METHODS: The present study included 60 EMTs working in Arak, Markazi province, Iran, who were randomly divided into study and control groups. The study group was treated with tea made of Stachys lavandulifolia (2 g daily) for 2 months, while the control group was treated with black tea. Moreover, the level of occupational stress in the study participants was assessed using the Hospital Stress Scale (HSS-35) before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software version 22.

RESULTS

According to our results, the mean occupational stress score was significantly decreased in the study group after the intervention (p < 0.05). Moreover, the post-intervention scores were significantly lower in the study group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant change in occupational stress in the control group after the intervention (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In combination with other stress-relieving options, the tea made of Stachys lavandulifolia can be used as a complementary therapy for alleviating occupational stress in EMTs.

Nursing Faculty Job Satisfaction During COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Study

AIM

The aim of this study was to understand stress, resilience, and compassion satisfaction of nursing faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify factors related to their job satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

The impacts of COVID-19 on faculty stress, resilience, compassion satisfaction, and job satisfaction were unknown.

METHOD

A mixed-methods survey was distributed electronically to nursing faculty in the United States.

RESULTS

Compassion satisfaction and resilience were positively correlated with job satisfaction; stress and job satisfaction were negatively correlated. Feeling safe to teach, feeling supported by administration, and spending more hours teaching online were positively associated with job satisfaction. Three themes were identified: challenges in the workplace, struggles with personal stressors, and building capacity in the face of the unknown.

CONCLUSION

Faculty reported a strong professional commitment to nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership that supported faculty through concern for their safety contributed to participants' ability to respond to the challenges experienced.

Post-traumatic responses to workplace violence among nursing professionals: a collaborative and comparative study in South Korea and Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

Workplace violence has had a significant and negative psychological impact on nursing professionals worldwide. Concerted worldwide efforts to improve work environments have not yet removed nursing professionals from the threat of violence. It is highly essential to conduct comparative research in various working environments where the nurses of each country have unique experiences of workplace violence. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in the rate, associated factors, and post-traumatic responses to workplace violence between South Korean and Chinese nurses in Hong Kong among East Asian countries.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, correlational study design recruited a total of 471 registered nurses (319 South Korean nurses and 152 Chinese nurses in Hong Kong; overall response rate = 78.5%) at online communities in South Korea and Hong Kong. The data were collected by conducting a Qualtrics survey from January 15, 2020, to July 24, 2021. A structured questionnaire was administered for data collection, including rate of workplace violence, perception of workplace violence, attitudes toward workplace violence, coping styles, post-traumatic cognitions, post-traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic growth, and mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, and stress). T-test, chi-squared, and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

In our sample, 30.7% South Korean nurses and 31.6% Chinese nurses in Hong Kong had experienced workplace violence. South Korean and Chinese nurses in Hong Kong with experience of workplace violence had lower perceptions of it. Nurses with experience of workplace violence reported lower levels of mental health, and this trend was more prominent among South Korean nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study findings showed a positive association between workplace violence and post-traumatic responses in both settings. We found that the close monitoring of post-traumatic responses associated with workplace violence could be improved by enhancing nurses' perception of workplace violence.

Effect of an Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Postpandemic Era Nurses' Subjective Well-being, Job Burnout, and Psychological Adaptation

This study explores the effects of an online mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention on postpandemic era nurses' subjective well-being, job burnout, and psychological adaptation. Previous studies on the psychological adaptability of nurses mainly focused on investigation rather than intervention. Ninety nurses were randomly classified into an intervention or control group. The intervention group received weekly online mindfulness-based stress reduction training for 8 weeks. The Subjective Well-being, Job Burnout, and Psychological Use scales were administered pre- and postintervention. Postintervention, nurses' positive emotions and life satisfaction significantly improved. Nurses' psychological adaptation was significantly higher postintervention than preintervention. The total scores for negative emotion, low personal accomplishment, and job burnout were significantly lower postintervention than preintervention. The scores for positive emotion and life satisfaction in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the scores for low personal accomplishment in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Online mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions can improve nurses' subjective well-being, reduce job burnout, and improve their level of psychological adaptability. Moreover, it could promote nurses' ability to communicate mindfully with patients and their families. This intervention could help promote the development of mindfulness in the nursing field.

Understanding and Fostering Mental Health and Well-Being among University Faculty: A Narrative Review

In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of mental health concerns in academia, with stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression being reported among faculty members. The demanding work environment, the need to balance personal and professional duties, and the constant pressure of productivity while navigating multiple tasks of teaching, research, mentorship, professional development, and service all impact the mental health and overall well-being of faculty. Higher education institutions have structurally changed as has the research landscape. These changes as well as faculty-specific and student-specific factors coupled to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to profound effects on the mental health of academics. This paper is a narrative review of the pertinent literature describing faculty mental health and well-being. It summarizes the available evidence on factors influencing faculty mental health and shows the prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout among faculty from various academic fields and along the whole academic ladder. Using a suggested framework that collates the efforts of leaders and faculty, the paper concludes by exploring strategies that promote work-life balance among academics and suggesting effective interventions to improve their mental health outcomes.

Pressures in the Ivory Tower: An Empirical Study of Burnout Scores among Nursing Faculty

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated incidents of burnout among academics in various fields and disciplines. Although burnout has been the subject of extensive research, few studies have focused on nursing faculty. This study aimed to investigate the differences in burnout scores among nursing faculty members in Canada. (2) Method: Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, data were collected via an online survey in summer 2021 using the Maslach Burnout Inventory general survey and analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. (3) Result: Faculty members (n = 645) with full-time employment status, worked more than 45 h, and taught 3-4 courses reported high burnout (score ≥ 3) compared to those teaching 1-2 courses. Although education levels, tenure status or rank, being on a graduate committee, or the percentage of hours dedicated to research and services were considered important personal and contextual factors, they were not associated with burnout. (4) Conclusions: Findings suggest that burnout manifests differently among faculty and at varying degrees. As such, targeted approaches based on individual and workload characteristics should be employed to address burnout and build resilience among faculty to improve retention and sustain the workforce.

Occupational well-being of the work community in social and health care education during the COVID-19 pandemic-A cross-sectional study

AIM

To evaluate factors related to the occupational well-being of social and health care educators' work communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted among social and health care educators in Finland 2020.

METHODS

Data (n = 552) were collected through a questionnaire containing continuous, Likert scale and categorical variables. Descriptive, exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression modelling were used for analysing the data.

RESULTS

Educators regarded their work as meaningful and experienced collegiality. Age and work experience were related to experiences on work community subscales and community occupational well-being. Personal occupational well-being and activities promoting occupational well-being on the community level were most related to experiences of the work community and its well-being. The activities that promote occupational well-being on the work community level should be emphasized.

Exploring perceived stress from caring for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in nurses: a qualitative study

Background

The coronavirus pandemic has increased the perceived stress among people worldwide. The new coronavirus issue has recently put nursing staff under severe stress.

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the stress perceived by nurses in caring for new coronavirus patients.

Methods

This qualitative conventional content analysis was conducted from February and March 2021. Twelve nurses working in the inpatient care wards for COVID-19 patients in Tehran hospitals were enrolled using purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and collection continued until reaching data saturation. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, reviewed and analysed using the Graneheim and Lundman method.

Results

One main category, five categories and 19 sub-categories emerged from the data. The nurses experienced 'the process of transition from unknown conditions'. Caregiving stress, impression on all aspects of life, COVID as a strange disease, stress caused by patient characteristics and stress reduction over time were issues in the formation of stress in nurses caring for patients with COVID-19.

Conclusions

The findings indicated that nurses caring for COVID-19 patients experience varying levels of stress for a variety of interrelated reasons. Knowing how nurses perceive the stress of caring for patients with COVID-19 can aid in the development of practical steps to reduce stress and make nurses more comfortable.

An integrative review of the continuing professional development needs for nurse educators

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed at describing the field of research in continuing professional development for nurse educators and the continuous education and development needs of nurse educators by asking: What research has been done in the field of continuing professional development of nurse educators? What are the continuing education and development needs and requirements reported for and by nurse educators?

DESIGN

An integrative review of peer-reviewed academic literature following a systematic search design.

DATA SOURCES

Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods publications in CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, ERIC, and PubMed.

REVIEW METHODS

Search results were screened for full text and assessed for quality using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. Full texts were then thematic analysed using an inductive and reflective process.

RESULTS

The number of published academic articles about the continuing professional development for nurse educators is small (n = 13). The themes produced from the articles identify heterogenous development needs for nurse educators, clustered around four themes: (1) professional competencies (2) management and resources, (3) communication and collaboration, and (4) agency. The findings of this review show that nurse educators have multiple roles which have specific and multiple personal and institutional needs.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this review show that the continuing professional development needs are heterogenous between nurse educators, yet share commonalities across departmental teams as a whole, and across different countries. This raises the issue of how these needs can or should be, focused on the sustainable development of nurse educators.

Reflections on transitioning from senior nurses to novice nurse academics

The transition from practicing nurse to nurse academic can be stressful as novice nurse academics need to assume new roles and acquire new skills in addition to having demonstrated mastery over their field of clinical practice. In this reflection, the authors use Gibbs' reflective cycle to reflect on the experience of transition from being senior nurses to novice nurse academics in the Australian university context. A description of the experience of transition is outlined alongside the feelings encountered. The positive and negative aspects of the experience are then evaluated and an analysis of the experience put forward with a conclusion related to the overall experience. An action plan for future practice is offered, which we hope will be of interest to anyone contemplating such a journey or supporting others in this process. The complex and challenging journey ahead for novice nurse academics is outlined, which offers opportunities for growth and development.

Stories of being a new nurse academic at a nursing education institution

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to explore and discover the best moments of being a new nurse academic at nursing education institutions.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to define, discover and learn about the experiences of being a new nurse academic.

DESIGN

A qualitative design with inspiration from Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was used.

METHOD

Purposive and snowball sampling was used. Data collection was done using semi-structured individual interviews. Data were analysed using Giorgi's method. The COREQ guidance was used for reporting of this study.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified. (1) The emphasis was their transition from clinical setting into the world of academics, which was challenging, overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. (2) Participants were fulfilled and influenced to achieve more. (3) Participants expressed what they wished for. (4) Participants shared recommendations for job security, employment and retainment of new nurse academics.

Mediating Role of Resilience on Nursing Faculty and Student QoL during COVID-19

COVID-19 greatly impacted nursing education and required nursing faculty and students to quickly adapt to changes caused by disease mitigation. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of resilience between the influence of demographics and school-related risk factors and nursing faculty and student quality of life (QoL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A secondary data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling to examine the mediating role of resilience on latent variables. Resilience had a positive, direct effect on nursing faculty and student QoL. Having a designated home workspace and being well-prepared for online learning had positive, indirect effects on QoL, mediated through resilience. Assisting children with schoolwork had a negative impact on the psychological and environmental QoL domains. Remarkably, having a caregiver role positively influenced the psychological QoL domain. Supporting and promoting faculty and nursing students' health and well-being is imperative during and after the pandemic.

Occupational Burnout and Productivity Loss: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Academic University Staff

Background

Burnout has been endorsed with serious negative health- and work-related outcomes. This study is aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout and its association with work productivity among academic staff.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved 240 academic staff working at a public university in Egypt. Participants were invited to complete a web-based questionnaire involving basic personal, health, and work-related characteristics. Besides, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) was used to assess occupational burnout dimensions (i.e., emotional exhaustion "EE," depersonalization "DP," and personal accomplishment "PA"), while work productivity was assessed with the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ).

Results

In total, 28% of respondents scored high in EE [95% confidence interval (CI): 22.5-33.8%], 18.3% high in DP (95% CI: 13.8-3.6%), and 88.3% scored low in PA (95% CI: 83.8-91.9%). Seventy percent of respondents scored high in only one burnout dimension, 21.7% scored high in two dimensions, while 7.1% scored high in all three dimensions. Multivariable analysis showed that EE was the only burnout dimension that showed a statistically significant association between absenteeism and presenteeism rates. The absenteeism rates among respondents with moderate and high EE were 2.1 and 3.3 times the rates among those with low EE, respectively. Likewise, the presenteeism rates among respondents with moderate and high EE were 2.4 and 4.7 times the rates among those with low EE, respectively.

Conclusions

Academic staff showed a high prevalence of at least one burnout dimension. Moderate and high EE scores were significantly associated with increased productivity loss when compared to low EE.

Perceived stress and quality of life among frontline nurses fighting against COVID-19: A web-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) crisis has changed many aspects of frontline nurses' lives. Nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 reported experiencing significant psychological distress and work-related anxiety. This study aimed to assess the perceived stress and quality of life among frontline nurses fighting against COVID-19.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 322 frontline nurses fighting against COVID-19 in hospitals affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using the two following online questionnaires: the Perceived Stress Scale and World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief. Data were compiled from October 23, 2020, to November 25, 2020. Data were analyzed using the independent sample t-test, Pearson's correlation test, and regression analysis test in the SPSS-21.

RESULTS

Average perceived stress scores was 30.27 (standard deviation [SD] = 7.01). Average quality of life subscale scores consist of physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment were 57.71 (SD = 12.74), 44.3 (SD = 15.58), 45.61 (SD = 16.99), and 47.6 (SD = 18.11), respectively. There was an inverse significant association between all the subscales of quality of life and perceived stress (P = 0.008). Based on the multiple linear regression analysis, the variables of age, gender, marital status, and perceived stress were the significant predictors of quality of life subscales.

CONCLUSIONS

Paying serious attention to addressing the concerns of frontline nurses, especially those who are at high risk, is necessary. It is recommended to take action as soon as possible to reduce the perceived stress and improve quality of life on nurses who care for patients with COVID-19.

Perceived Stress and Coping Behavior of Nurses Caring for Critical Patients with COVID-19 Outbreak in Taiwan: A Mixed-Methods Study

Severe pneumonia with novel pathogens, also called COVID-19, caused a pandemic in Taiwan as well as in the rest of the world in May 2021. Nurses are under great stress when caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the perceived stress and coping behaviors of nurses caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19 using a mixed-methods approach. We recruited 85 nurses from a special intensive care unit (ICU) of a medical center in Taiwan between May and June 2021. To gather data, we used a questionnaire on basic characteristics, the perceived stress scale (PSS-14), and the brief coping orientation to problems experienced inventory (B-COPE), then conducted a qualitative interview. The results showed that the average perceived stress level among nurses was 25.4 points, and most of them perceived moderate stress. The top three coping behaviors practiced by the nurses were active coping, planning, and acceptance. Nurses who received less perceived support from their friends or families and who had shorter working experience in nursing had significantly higher stress levels. The qualitative results revealed that the nurses' perceived stress came from fear, worry, and the increased burden caused by caring for critical patients with COVID-19. Coping behaviors included rest, seeking support, and affirmative fighting. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the support nurses receive from their families is an important predictor of perceived stress. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses be provided with more support in dealing with stress caused by caring for critical patients with COVID-19 in special ICUs.

Female Nurses’ Experience of Psychological Changes when Caring COVID-19 Patients in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Nurses as health workers at the frontline have major challenges in dealing with COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic can cause the risk of psychological changes in nurses in maintaining the quality of public health services. AIM: This study aims to explore nurses’ experiences through their psychological changes when giving treatment to COVID-19 patients. DESIGN AND METHOD: This qualitative research employed a phenomenological approach. Purposive sampling was applied to determine the participants with criteria of female nurses caring COVID-19 patients and working in hospitals until achieved data saturation. The data were collected by interviewing participants through phone and video calls. In-depth interview recordings were presented in transcriptions, and the contents were analyzed into codes, categories, and themes. RESULTS: Eight nurses participated in this study. This research resulted three themes: Self-surrender during early nursing care for COVID-19 patients, acceptance of the feelings and achievements as COVID-19 nurses, and self-empowerment supported by the environment. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological changes during the nursing care start from self-surrender in the early period of COVID-19 patient care, self-acceptance for any feelings and achievements as COVID-19 nurses, to the forms of self-empowerment and environmental support.

Role Stress and Psychological Distress Among Chinese Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Support and Burnout

OBJECTIVE

Nurses are at high risk of psychological distress including stress, depression, and anxiety due to low personnel density and high work demand. Despite mounting evidence showing that role stress is a risk factor for nurses' psychological distress, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship are less known. This study tests the mediation effect of burnout in the association between role stress and psychological distress, and whether this mediation is moderated by social support.

METHODS

A sample of 623 Chinese nurses were recruited from all hepatological surgery departments in Hunan Province and filled out an online questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographics, role stress, burnout, psychological distress, and social support. Mediation and moderation analyses were carried out in SPSS macro-PROCESS.

RESULTS

Burnout partially mediated the positive association between role stress and psychological distress. Social support moderated the indirect effect of role stress on psychological distress via burnout, with the effect being stronger for nurses with low social support than those with high social support.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrated how role stress contributed to nurses' psychological distress both directly and indirectly through burnout, and how this indirect effect was moderated by social support. The results provide important practical implications for future prevention and intervention programs to improve nurses' mental health from multiple aspects such as decreasing role stress and burnout while increasing social support.

OUP accepted manuscript

Background

The occupational well-being (OW) of educators can be defined as a balance between resources and workload factors as seen from four aspects of working life: (i) individual, (ii) working conditions, (iii) professional competence and (iv) work community. The research in this study examined the individual aspect as particular importance to the physical and mental workability of educators.

Aims

To study the individual aspect of the OW of educators as well as the associating factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was conducted among educators working in health and social care education in Finland. The data were collected with an electronic survey using the ‘Occupational well-being of social and health care teachers—index questionnaire’. The data were analysed with an SPSS version 27 using descriptive statistics, explorative factor analysis and linear regression analysis.

Results

The educators (n = 552, response rate 31%) assessed their resources for managing their mental workload as quite poor (2.41, standard deviation [SD] 0.98). In addition, workplace support promoting OW was assessed as being quite poor (2.37, SD 0.88), and as especially requiring more measures during working hours. Associations with the individual aspect of OW were found between the personal and work-related background variables as well as overall OW.

Conclusions

The perceptions of the educators indicated that resources to cope with workload factors should be promoted. Investing in educators’ resources at work, enabling well-being actions during working hours and avoiding backlog situations would all help promote the educators’ OW.

Participatory Action Research (PAR) - to better understand the experiences of nurse academics working in a team

BACKGROUND

There is considerable literature outlining the high levels of occupational stress nurse academics experience, and the potential effect of workplace pressure on mental health and wellbeing.

OBJECTIVES/AIMS/HYPOTHESES

To support the notion that to succeed in an academic environment, academics are more successful when working in a team, two academics conducted a Participation Action Research study.

DESIGN

The PAR study was developed in line with a Clinical Skill Project to better understand the experiences of nurse academics working in a team. The Clinical Skills Project involved the write up of 40 nursing skills for publication. Twenty-seven academics were recruited into the project and allocated skills to write, in teams of 2-3, according to clinical expertise and interest. The Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach formed the framework for the project, as well as, provided an opportunity for the nurse academics to 'come together' at fortnightly team meetings to discuss the project and talk about their experience working in a team.

METHODS

Using the PAR cyclical process of observing, reflecting, planning, and acting there was ongoing opportunity for the academic nurses to discuss, question and share knowledge about academic practices. These Interactive reflections were recorded in a team reflective diary during the meetings. Participants were also asked to reflect on their individual experience of working in the team, before, during and after the project. At the completion of the project all reflective comments were transcribed to form a combined narrative.

RESULTS

Thematic and content analysis was then undertaken to identify any similarities and or differences in academic staff experience.

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis revealed the following key themes. Working in a team creates better staff relationships, Working in a team can change workplace culture and Working in a team can Improve staff health and well-being.

The experiences of nurses diagnosed with COVID-19 in Turkey: A qualitative study

Frontline healthcare professionals during the pandemic were exposed to the risk of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. In this study, we aimed to explore the experiences of nurses who were diagnosed with COVID-19. This qualitative, descriptive study was conducted between July 20 and September 29, 2020. A total of 17 nurses were included by using purposeful and snowball sampling methods and interviewed. Video interviews were conducted through WhatsApp using a semistructured in-depth interview form. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method. The experiences of nurses at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis were categorized into three main themes: (a) personal experiences, (b) thoughts on the reasons for getting infected, and (c) social experiences. In conclusion, we shed light on the experiences of frontline nurses during pandemic who were exposed to COVID-19. Individual, organizational, and social regulations and actions are needed for the management of the pandemic.

Relational and caring partnerships: (re)creating equity, genuineness, and growth in mentoring faculty relationships

Mentoring in academia has traditionally and currently been prescriptive and institutionally driven. The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct these current mentoring practices with a critical feminist stance. New understandings are shared and gained through dialogue, relevant literature, and performativity to (re)create and name a caring and relational partnership. This caring and relational partnership is grown through a process of mutuality and reciprocity, and based on relational ethics, authenticity, and solidarity. By embracing ideologies of caring and relational ethics, mentoring blurs the lines of mentor/mentee to a perpetual state of walking beside each other in equity to learn and strengthen each other's insights into our worlds. Material realities become illuminated through our shared journeys growing an appreciation and gift of the other. In turn, engaging in meaningful dialogue informs scholarship increasing our understandings of the human condition.

The Immediate Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy Massage versus Massage in Work Stress, Burnout, and HRV Parameters: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Occupational stress is a common issue faced by workers in every discipline. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, such as aromatherapy massage or massage, have antistress effects in the literature. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial with triple blinds is to evaluate the immediate effects of lavender aromatherapy massage for improving work stress, burnout, and HRV parameters of female employees in a university.

Methods

A total of 53 subjects in experimental group whereas 57 subjects in control group completed interventions and measurement and led to power of 0.98. Inferential statistics, as independent t-test, paired t-test, and Chi-Square test, were performed to verify the expected relationships.

Results

The present study found that subjects in experimental group reported a lower role stress and less inclined to type A personality trait after aromatherapy massage with lavender. For control group, only less inclined to type A personality trait was reported after receiving massage. For burnout, a significant lower personal burnout and work-related burnout were reported after aromatherapy massage whereas only increased client-related burnout was reported in control group. For HRV, both the experimental and control groups reported higher SDNN and RMSSD in time domain after intervention. Contradictory HRT and PSI in time domain were significantly lower after intervention. In frequency domain of HRV, both groups reported significantly higher value in VLF and HF. In addition, the experimental group reported significantly higher value in TP and LF after intervention.

Conclusions

Both the lavender aromatherapy massage and massage did show immediate effect on different dimensions of work stress, burnout, and HRV. These two interventions can be applied as routine leisure activities by personal preference to reduce stresses occurring in work environment.

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.

The Psychological Change Process of Frontline Nurses Caring for Patients with COVID-19 during Its Outbreak

Aim: To identify the psychological change process of the registered nurses who worked in the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak.Background: The pandemic of COVID-19 has continued to pose an unprecedented threat and challenge to people's health around the world. Nurses are at high risk because they work within the closest proximity to patients. Understanding nurses' psychological change process during the care for patients with COVID-19 is imperative for healthcare leaders.Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study that took place in a hospital in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic, from February 9^th to March 15^th, 2020. Using purposive sampling, we interviewed 23 nurses. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method of data analysis to find, understand, and describe nurses' experiences.Results: The psychological change process of frontline nurses included three stages, early, middle, and later stages. The psychological characteristics of each period were ambivalence, emotional exhaustion, and energy renewal, respectively. Nurse leaders were anchors in facilitating frontline nurses' psychological adaptation.Conclusions: In the past month, the psychological characteristics of nurses changed over time. The study indicated the necessity for nurse leaders to implement intervention programs based on nurses' psychological characteristics in different periods to promote nurses' health during this critical time period.