Personality and occupational correlates of anxiety and depression in nurses: the contribution of role conflict, core self-evaluations, negative affect and bullying

The influence of anxiety and depression on critical care nurses' performance: A multicenter correlational study

BACKGROUND

Anxiety and depression among critical care nurses (CCNs) negatively affect performance because of association with clinical medical errors, ineffective communication, absenteeism from work, and burnout.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression and their associated factors as well as their impact on the CCNs' performance in Hail city, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among 262 CCNs from April to June 2023.

RESULTS

The mean scores of anxiety and depression were significantly higher among male and Saudi CCNs than among their counterparts (p < 0.05). CCNs caring for patients in a ratio of 1:5 or more had significantly higher anxiety scores than those with lower nurse-to-patient ratios (p = 0.004). CCNs who were working night shifts had significantly higher mean scores of anxiety (p = 0.005) and lower mean scores of performance (p = 0.041) than their counterparts. Borderline anxiety and depression were prevalent among 43.1% and 38.5% of CCNs, respectively. In contrast, abnormal anxiety and depression were prevalent among 8.8% and 5.7% of CCNs, respectively. CCNs' mental, general, and total performance showed a significant negative correlation with both anxiety ([r = -0.247, p <0.001], [r = -0.183, p = 0.003], and [r = -0.172, p = 0.005], respectively) and depression (r = -0.287, p <0.001), (r = -0.207, p <0.001), and (r = -0.180, p = 0.003), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety and depression levels are significantly higher among male, Saudi CCNs, higher nurse-to-patient ratios, those who work night shifts than among their counterparts. Less than half of CCNs experience borderline anxiety and/or depression that had significantly negative correlation with their performance. Anxiety and depression in shift nurses may be treated by reducing workload, causes of stress during night shifts, and giving practical coping mechanisms for typical nurse job pressures.

The chain mediating role of negative emotions at work and meaning in life between interpersonal conflict at work and depressive symptoms among nurses: a multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms among nurses have been a significant public health concern. Although many studies have demonstrated the potential relationship between interpersonal conflict at work and depressive symptoms, the mechanisms underlying this relationship among nurses remain unclear. Based on the theoretical and empirical research, this study aimed to investigate the multiple mediating effects of negative emotion at work and meaning in life on the relationship between interpersonal conflict at work and depressive symptoms among nurses.

METHODS

An online multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 hospitals from different geographical areas of Hunan Province, China, from December 2021 to February 2022. A total of 1754 nurses completed validated self-reported questionnaires, including their sociodemographic information, interpersonal conflict at work, negative emotions at work, meaning in life, and depressive symptoms. Descriptive statistics analysis, Spearman's correlation analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and chain mediation analysis were performed using IBM SPSS software (version 29) and Mplus software (version 8).

RESULTS

There were significant correlations between interpersonal conflict at work, negative emotions at work, meaning in life, and depressive symptoms (r = -0.206 ~ 0.518, all p < 0.01). Interpersonal conflict at work had a statistically significantly direct effect on depressive symptoms (β = 0.061; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.011 ~ 0.126, p = 0.039). Analysis of mediating effects revealed that interpersonal conflict at work also influenced depressive symptoms through two statistically significantly indirect pathways: (a) the mediating effect of negative emotions at work (β = 0.167; 95% CI: 0.138 ~ 0.195, p < 0.001) and (b) the chain mediating effect between negative emotions at work and meaning in life (β = 0.008; 95% CI: 0.003 ~ 0.013, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Interpersonal conflict at work has a direct positive effect on depressive symptoms among nurses. Meanwhile, interpersonal conflict at work can influence depressive symptoms among nurses through the mediating effect of negative emotions at work and the chain mediating effect between negative emotions at work and meaning in life.

Reiki intervention for supporting healthcare professional care behaviors in pediatric palliative care: A pilot study

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in a palliative setting may experience challenges during their clinical practice in addressing the complex end-of-life phase of children and their families. Nurses, especially, have a frontline role in providing assistance, thereby becoming at risk of physical and psychological burden. Pediatric psychologists have an ethical responsibility to help colleagues by proposing self-care interventions that will improve their well-being and, indirectly, the work climate. This study investigated the impact of a complementary therapy, delivered by a pediatric psychologist and a nurse, on physical and psychological variables among nurses at the Paediatric Hospice of the Regina Margherita Children's Hospital in Italy.

METHODS

Thirty-five nurses participated in 5 weeks of Reiki sessions for an overall total of 175 sessions. The effect of the sessions was analyzed through a paired t-test analysis comparing the values of heart rate, oxygen saturation, and systolic and diastolic pressure collected before and after each session. The same test was conducted comparing the values of the 3 burnout subscales for each of the 35 nurses collected before the beginning of the first session with those collected at the end of the last session 2 months later.

RESULTS

Results underlined a positive short-term effect with a significant decrease in heart rate before and after each session (t = 11.5, p < .001) and in systolic pressure (t = 2, p < .05). In addition, a decrease in emotional exhaustion symptoms was found (t = 2.3, p < .05) at the end of the intervention.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

Reiki could be a valid strategy to complement traditional pediatric psychology clinical practice designed to protect HCPs from emotional and physical demands and to create a more supportive workplace for staff and patients alike.

Stress, interpersonal and inter-role conflicts, and psychological health conditions among nurses: vicious and virtuous circles within and beyond the wards

BACKGROUND

The increasing costs of nurses' occupational-stress, conflicts, and violence within healthcare services have raised international interest. Yet, research/interventions should consider that perceived stress and conflicts- but also potential resources- within the wards can crossover the healthcare settings, impacting nurses' private lives and viceversa, potentially creating vicious circles exacerbating stress, conflicts/violence or, conversely, virtuous circles of psychological/relational wellbeing. Based on the Demands-Resources-and-Individual-Effects (DRIVE) Nurses Model, and responding to the need to go in-depth into this complex dynamic, this study aims to explore potential vicious circles featured by the negative effects of the interplay (main/mediating effects) between perceived stressors in nursing linked to interpersonal conflicts (Conflicts-with-Physicians, Peers, Supervisors, Patients/their families), work-family inter-role conflicts (Work-Family/Family-Work-Conflicts), and work-related stress (Effort-Reward-Imbalance) on nurses' psychological/relational health (Anxiety, Depression, Somatization, Interpersonal-Sensitivity, Hostility). The potential moderating role of work-resources (Job-Control, Social-Support, Job-Satisfaction) in breaking vicious circles/promoting virtuous circles was also explored.

METHOD

The STROBE Checklist was used to report this cross-sectional multi-centre study. Overall, 265 nurses completed self-report questionnaires. Main/mediating/moderating hypotheses were tested by using Correlational-Analyses and Hayes-PROCESS-tool.

RESULTS

Data confirmed the hypothesized detrimental vicious circles (main/mediating effects), impairing nurses' psychological health conditions at individual level (Anxiety, Depression, Somatization), but also at relational level (Hostility and Interpersonal-Sensitivity). The moderating role of all work resources was fully supported.

CONCLUSION

Findings could be used to implement interventions/practices to effectively prevent the maintenance/exacerbation of vicious circles and promote psychological/relational wellbeing in healthcare settings and beyond.

Profiling health professionals' personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Non-cognitive traits have been theorised to predict characteristics, career choice and outcomes of health professionals and could represent a homogenous group. This study aims to profile and compare personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence of health practitioners across a variety of professions.

METHODS

Empirical literature was systematically reviewed. A two-concept search strategy was applied to four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, ProQuest). Title/abstract and full text articles were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data was synthesised narratively and meta-aggregated where feasible.

RESULTS

Three hundred twenty-one studies representing 153 assessment tools of personality (n = 83 studies), behaviour (n = 8), and emotional intelligence (n = 62) were included. Most studies (n = 171) explored personality (medicine, nursing, nursing assistants, dentistry, allied health, paramedics), revealing variation in traits across professions. Behaviour styles were least measured with only ten studies exploring these across four health professions (nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, psychology). Emotional intelligence (n = 146 studies) varied amongst professions (medicine, nursing, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiology) with all exhibiting average to above-average scores.

CONCLUSION

Personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence are all key characteristics of health professionals reported in the literature. There is both heterogeneity and homogeneity within and between professional groups. The characterisation and understanding of these non-cognitive traits will aid health professionals to understand their own non-cognitive features and how these might be useful in predicting performance with potential to adapt these to enhance success within their chosen profession.