Stress amongst emergency nurses

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Recent studies have shown that health service staff experience high levels of occupational stress and that stress is much greater for nurses who work within the critical care environment such as the emergency department. This study was carried out to identify sources of stress for nurses working within the emergency department of Tehran teaching hospitals. Methods A sample of 120 nurses particpated in the study and data were collected using a two part questionnaire. Part one related to demographic characteristics and qualifications of the respondents, whilst part two consisted of a list of 25 items identified as potential work related stressors. Each respondent was asked to rate on a five point Likert scale. Analysis of the data was carried out using the statistical package SPSS©. Results The most common cause of stress reported by nurses were: dealing with patients' pain and suffering, a heavy workload and the presence of the patients' family in the Emergency Department (ED). Conclusion Based on the study results it is suggested that whilst it may not be possible to decrease the demands of the job, improving work conditions and providing greater support to nurses may assist in decreasing the stressors associated with working in the emergency care environment.