Investigation of occupational fatigue and safety climate among nurses using the structural equation model

The predictive role of resilience and the ethical climate of hospital in the fatigue of surgical technologists working in operating rooms

BACKGROUND

Fatigue in surgical technologists is of paramount importance and is known as a priority because it can be regarded as a threat to the nurse's health and patient's safety. The fatigue level of healthcare workers can be affected by some factors, while the role of part of these factors is less known. This study aimed to determine the predictive role of resilience and the hospital ethical climate in the fatigue of surgical technologists working in operating rooms (ORs).

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 217 surgical technologists working in ORs of hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using Connor-Davidson's Resilience scale, Olson's Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, and then analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

87.1% and 12.9% of surgical technologists reported low and high fatigue, respectively. All fatigue subscales had significant and negative relationships with resilience (p < 0.05). Moreover, the relationship between fatigue and ethical climate was significant (p = 0.02). The multiple linear regression model showed the predictive role of resilience in fatigue (β=-0.29, P < 0.001). According to the model, 10% of the change of fatigue was related to resilience and ethical climate.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated the relationship between resilience and ethical climate with fatigue. Moreover, resilience was a predictor of the surgical technologists' fatigue, so that their fatigue decreased with increasing resilience. However, future studies are recommended to determine other factors influencing fatigue in surgical technologists.

Effect of compassion fatigue on emotional labor in female nurses: Moderating effect of self-compassion

Emotional labor is common in nursing but may be affected by the mental state of nurses. This study explored the effect of compassion fatigue on emotional labor and whether self-compassion moderates this effect of compassion fatigue.

METHODS

A two-stage survey design with a convenience sample. Participants were female nursing staff recruited from emergency departments, intensive care units, ward nursing units, and outpatient departments of medical centers, regional hospitals, and district hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 300 questionnaire copies in each of the first and second stages were distributed, and 272 pairs of responses were retrieved (valid response rate = 91%). The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were tested, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with AMOS 21. The proposed hypotheses were verified using hierarchical regression conducted with SPSS version 25.0.

RESULTS

This study revealed that compassion fatigue positively predicted surface acting (β = 0.12, p < 0.05) and negatively predicted deep acting (β = -0.18, p < 0.01) and expression of genuine emotions (β = -0.31, p < 0.01). In addition, self-compassion negatively moderates the relationships between compassion fatigue and surface acting (β = -0.12, p < 0.05), and positively moderates the relationships between compassion fatigue and expression of genuine emotions (β = 0.15, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

To avoid excessive consumption of emotional resources, nurses with high compassion fatigue may employ surface acting by engaging in emotional labor without making an effort to adjust their feelings. Nurses need also be sympathized with, and such sympathy can come from hospitals, supervisors, colleagues, and, most crucially, the nurses themselves. Hospital executives should propose improvement strategies that can prevent the compassion fatigue on nurses, such as improving nurses' self-compassion.

The relationship between the level of postural stress, Musculoskeletal Disorders, and chronic fatigue: A case study in the dairy industry

BACKGROUND

Dairy industry workers face numerous ergonomic risk factors in their workplace, including improper posture, manual material handling, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Fewstudies have been conducted on the correlation of postural stress, MSDs, and chronic fatigue among workers in the dairy industry.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the level of postural stress, MSDs, and chronic fatigue in a dairy company.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 260 male workers were included in the research based on specific inclusion criteria. The Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, Chalder Fatigue Scale, and a researcher-made demographic questionnaire were used to collect data. The posture of workers was evaluated using RULA and REBA software, and the evaluation of the manual lifting of loads was assessed using the WISHA lifting calculator. Finally, the collected data were entered into the SPSS software version 26.0 and analyzed.

RESULTS

The findings revealed a significant statistical relationship between the level of postural stress and chronic fatigue and a significant positive correlation between MSDs and chronic fatigue. Furthermore, a statistically significant relationship was observed between MSDs, chronic fatigue, and ergonomics training experience.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained in this study support the notion that high levels of postural stress and MSDs can produce an increase in chronic fatigue among workers, and lack of ergonomics training for workers can increase both MSDs and chronic fatigue. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out intervention measures in the field of ergonomics management in similar industries through the implementation of ergonomic intervention programs with a focus on proactive and preventive measures and the use of participatory ergonomic programs and educational demands assessment.

Relationship between the status of occupational health management and job satisfaction among farmers: A health promotion approach

BACKGROUND

Job satisfaction is one of the most important issues related to human resources in the organization which can reduce organizational productivity. In this regard, occupational health is an important science related to the health of the workforce in any organization, paying attention to it will help health promotion. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between the status of occupational health management and job satisfaction among farmers with a health promotion approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020. The number of 209 farmers from all villages of Zabol was included by census method. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire that consisting of three sections of demographic information, occupational safety and health status, and standard job satisfaction questionnaire. At first, the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated. In addition, 5-10 staff working in Agricultural Jihad Organization were asked about the content, clarity, and simplicity of the questionnaire terms. Content validity index and content validity ratio indexes were calculated as 0.68 and 0.83 for occupational health management and 0.69 and 0.83 for job satisfaction questionnaires, respectively. Instrument reliability was also assessed using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which was 0.872. Finally, after verifying the validity and reliability of the instrument, a questionnaire was used to collect the research data. Shapiro-Wilk, Wilcoxon, and Spearman correlation tests were used to analyze the findings. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 19. Armonk; NY, USA: IBM Corp.

RESULTS

The results of the study indicate that occupational health management was at a moderate to a high level (3.701) and job satisfaction (3.381) was at a moderate to a high level. The standard regression coefficient between occupational health management and job satisfaction was obtained as 0.571. With a confidence of 95%, it can be stated that occupational health management in Zabol city under the supervision of jihad-e-agriculture organization has a significant impact on farmers' job satisfaction. In addition, the research findings confirmed a positive and significant relationship between occupational health management and job satisfaction of employed farmers and showed that the implementation of occupational safety and health programs in the jihad-e-agriculture organization can affect the job satisfaction of farmers.

CONCLUSION

According to the evaluation of research findings, job satisfaction and occupational health management in the Agricultural Jihad Organization are relatively favorable among farmers in Zabol city. It was argued that there is a relationship between occupational health management and job satisfaction, that the implementation of programs related to occupational safety and health management system such as Health and Safety Executive will promote health.

Study of suicidal thoughts and intentions with regard to job stress among female medical students living in dormitory with a mental health promotion approach

BACKGROUND

Medical students are exposed to stresses which have irreversible consequences, such as suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to investigate the level of occupational stress in medical students and its relationship with the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attention among them and then provide mental health promotion approaches.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 325 undergraduate medical students residing at the dormitory of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The sample size was determined by the census method. Osipow and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaires were used to measure job stress and suicidal ideation, respectively. The condition of entry into the study was living in the dormitory and spent at least one semester. Linear regression and logistic regression were used to examine the relationship between variables.

RESULTS

The mean score of occupational stress among students with a mean age of 21 (±2.18) years was 158.84 (±27.07) and 60% (n = 180) of students had high levels of stress. There was a significant relationship between age and educational level with stress level and suicidal ideation (P < 0.05). They had the highest effect on stress (P = 0.031) and suicidal ideation (P = 0.001), respectively, among students. High level of stress was 11.829 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than low-stress level (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Stress and suicidal ideation are much higher in students of lower semesters and lower ages than students with higher semesters. Students should learn how and with what approach to control and manage exposure to stressors. Measures such as holding stress management training courses as well as managing stressful situations are among the effective measures in improving mental health and reducing stress levels and its effects.

Effectiveness of educational intervention on reducing oxidative stress caused by occupational stress in nurses: A health promotion approach

BACKGROUND

Nursing is one of the most stressful occupations. Educational intervention regarding stress management can play an important role in reducing occupational stress among nurses The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of educational intervention on reducing oxidative stress caused by occupational stress in nurses: A health promotion approach in a hospital in western Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present interventional study was performed in 2019 among 92 nurses working at the Kosar Hospital located in the city of Sanandaj in the country of Iran. Occupational stress was evaluated using the Osipow Occupational Stress Questionnaire. Oxidative stress was measured by taking blood samples and measuring the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde, and catalase (CAT) using SOD, malondialdehyde (MDA), and CAT kits. Educational intervention was carried out in the second stage. Three months after the intervention, data were taken again.

RESULTS

The results of the present study indicated that there was a significant difference in occupational stress between before and after the educational intervention (P < 0.05). A significant reduction in MDA (P = 0.038) and SOD (P = 0.048) was observed after educational intervention, but this was not the case for CAT (P = 0.592). There was no significant correlation between occupational stress with oxidative stress parameters before and after the educational intervention (P < 0.05). No significant difference in occupational stress was observed between men and women. Among the oxidative stress parameters under evaluation, MDA was higher among men compared to women and this was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational intervention regarding occupational stress is effective in reducing oxidative stress among nurses. The group meetings teach stress management to the participants and enable them to better manage their stress by utilizing their own capabilities. Thus, attention to this issue is vital in maintaining the mental and physical health of nurses and, in turn, improves the quality of care rendered.

Factoring and correlation in sleep, fatigue and mental workload of clinical first-line nurses in the post-pandemic era of COVID-19: A multi-center cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

A better understanding of the factors and their correlation with clinical first-line nurses' sleep, fatigue and mental workload is of great significance to personnel scheduling strategies and rapid responses to anti-pandemic tasks in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

OBJECTIVE

This multicenter and cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the nurses' sleep, fatigue and mental workload and contributing factors to each, and to determine the correlation among them.

METHODS

A total of 1,004 eligible nurses (46 males, 958 females) from three tertiary hospitals participated in this cluster sampling survey. The Questionnaire Star online tool was used to collect the sociodemographic and study target data: Sleep quality, fatigue, and mental workload. Multi-statistical methods were used for data analysis using SPSS 25.0 and Amos 21.0.

RESULTS

The average sleep quality score was 10.545 ± 3.399 (insomnia prevalence: 80.2%); the average fatigue score was 55.81 ± 10.405 (fatigue prevalence: 100%); and the weighted mental workload score was 56.772 ± 17.26. Poor sleep was associated with mental workload (r = 0.303, P < 0.05) and fatigue (r = 0.727, P < 0.01). Fatigue was associated with mental workload (r = 0.321, P < 0.05). COVID-19 has caused both fatigue and mental workload. As 49% of nurses claimed their mental workload has been severely affected by COVID-19, while it has done slight harm to 68.9% of nurses' sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

In the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, the high prevalence of sleep disorders and fatigue emphasizes the importance of paying enough attention to the mental health of nurses in first-class tertiary hospitals. Efficient nursing strategies should focus on the interaction of sleep, fatigue and mental workload in clinical nurses. In that case, further research on solutions to the phenomenon stated above proves to be of great significance and necessity.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

[https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [ChiCTR2100053133].