The lived experience and meaning of stress in acute mental health nurses

Abstract

While studies into stress in mental health nursing are small, studies specifically looking at acute mental health nurses are even fewer. Acute mental health nurses work in environments that are challenging and unpredictable, and care for some of the most seriously ill patients. This area, therefore, needs staff that are physically and psychologically fit for purpose. However, little is known about this cohort of nurses. In an attempt to address this imbalance, this study aims to ascertain the stressors--the lived experience and meaning--for acute qualified mental health staff. Using a hermeneutical phenomenological tradition, eight qualified staff from a London mental health Trust were interviewed. Heavy workloads and violent and aggressive behaviours were among the stressors giving rise to staff experiencing difficulties with switching off from work, poor support from management and fear of blame. These experiences culminated in feeling professionally compromised, less valued and struggling for recognition of the therapeutics of nursing interventions. There is an urgent need to implement stress reduction strategies in this nursing specialty.