High Levels Of Work-related Stress Research Articles

High strain and low social support at work as risk factors for being the target of third-party workplace violence among healthcare sector workers.

Introduction:Healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable to third-party workplace violence. The experience of work-related stress, by threatening the psychological balance of healthcare workers, making them less effective in managing the relationship with patients and their family members, may significantly contribute to third-party violence.Objective:To investigate whether stress-related psychosocial situations at work as defined by the widely known Demand-Control model, and the level of work-related social support, act as risk factors for third-party violence among healthcare workers. Specifically, we explored whether the risk of violence is higher in situations associated with higher levels of work-related stress (i.e., active or passive situations, and especially the high strain situation) when compared to a work situation related to lower levels of stress (i.e., low strain situation). We also explored whether the risk of violence is lower at higher levels of social support.Method:Cross-sectional study on 633 healthcare workers. Psychosocial work situations and third-party workplace violence have been operationalized by using well validated scales.Results:Logistic regressions including a number of relevant covariates (e.g., gender, job role, night shift work) revealed that, compared to a low strain situation, an active or passive situation had an increased risk for workplace violence. However, the highest risk was observed for a high strain situation (i.e., the situation associated with the highest level of work-related stress). High social support acted as a protective factor.Conclusion:Healthcare workers’ experience of stress at work may make them more vulnerable to third-party violence. Ensuring better psychosocial working conditions may contribute to the prevention of workplace violence and its consequences.

Stress and coping strategies among nurse managers

Background: The role of Nurse Managers (NMs) is dynamic, multifaceted and complex thus, exposing NMs to high levels of work-related stress which seriously impact general wellbeing, and organizational outcomes.Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional approach was employed to examine the phenomenon of stress among NMs in 38 selected hospitals. Census approach was used to collect data from 267 NMs. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to describe the sample and established the predictors of stress.Results: The main causes of stress among NMs are a shortage of staff (94.4%), poor working conditions (91.8%), inadequate management support (89.9%) and heavy workload (89.15%). NMs experienced all the types of stress (psychological, emotional and physical). The major stress coping mechanisms are time management (91.8%), effective communication (91%) and delegation of duties (89.5%) while excessive eating (18.4%) is the least strategy used. Sociodemographic characteristics together explained 6.4% of stress among NMs [R2 = .064, F(6,241) = 2.676, p = .016].Conclusions: Senior managers of hospitals should create a favourable working environment for nurses and the appointment of NMs should be based on experience and competence. Implication for Nursing Practice: Stress among healthcare managers especially, NMs is very common. This current study has extensively proven that stress among NMs affects their general health as well as patient safety and quality of care. Training on stress management should be organized regularly for hospital staff particularly, NMs to enable them to cope better with stress.

Effects of nature-based mindfulness training on resilience/symptom load in professionals with high work-related stress-levels: findings from the WIN-Study.

The levels of work-related stress and the incidence rates of subsequent related illnesses are increasing in our society, leading to high individual and socioeconomic burdens. Mindfulness training has been shown to be an effective method of improving stress resilience. This paper aims to investigate the efficacy of nature-based mindfulness training in professionals with high levels of work-related stress. In this controlled pilot study, a total of 56 volunteers completed a nature-based mindfulness training progam and were compared to 8 participants (waitlist controls). Psychometric assessments were performed at baseline and after two and four months of training. After two months of training, the scores for self-efficacy, sense of coherence, level of mindfulness and overall psychiatric symptom load had significantly improved in the intervention group, while the control group did not show any significant improvements. A comparison between the intervention and control groups showed a significant difference regarding the sense of coherence only. Since this was an exploratory study with a small control group, further studies are needed to verify our findings. In conclusion, nature-based mindfulness training seems to be a promising tool for the improvement of resilience and overall psychological health in professionals. This was the first study to systematically investigate effects of nature-based mindfulness training in people with high work-related stress.

Stress-related mental health and growth among first-time grandparents: The moderating role of family support.

Grandparents play a significant role in modern society, often while struggling to juggle the expectations, demands, and commitments of career and family. The current study examined the unique and combined contribution of stress-related variables associated with multiple roles, such as work stress over commitment, economic stress, and grandchild care burden, to mental health and personal growth of first-time grandparents. The study also examined the role of family support as a moderator of these associations. One hundred ninety-seven first-time Israeli grandparents were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. Higher levels of work-related stress were associated with lower mental health, whereas grandchild care burden was associated with higher personal growth. Self-mastery and family support contributed to the prediction of mental health. When family support was high, work commitment was positively related to mental health, and economic stress was positively related to personal growth. The findings point to the crucial role of family support in balancing and preserving resources that are important to the mental health of first-time grandparents, while enabling grandparents to be challenged and thrive through their stressors. Therapists who meet with first-time grandparents in the community should take these factors into account when assisting them in adjusting to their new role.

Effects of Work-Related Stressors and Mindfulness on Mental and Physical Health Among Australian Nurses and Healthcare Workers.

To examine the relative impact of work-related stressors and the personal resource of mindfulness on employees' mental and physical health. A cross-sectional survey design with nursing and healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia. Data were collected from 702 respondents. Mean scores for work-related stressors and employee mental and physical health were compared with population norms. We used hierarchical linear regressions to examine the relative impact of demographics, work-related stressors, and mindfulness on employee mental and physical health. Employees in this sample reported higher levels of work-related stress and poorer mental health compared to available norms, while their levels of physical health were within the normal range. Regression analyses showed that work-related stressors were important predictors of employee mental health, but mindfulness was the stronger predictor. There was a slightly stronger relationship between employee physical health and work-related stress compared to mindfulness. Furthermore, being younger and employed in a non-nursing role were associated with better physical health. Encouraging mindfulness as a health behavior practice among nurses and other healthcare workers could improve employee well-being and potentially enable them to more effectively fulfill the requirements of their demanding roles.

Family workers, stress, and the limits of self-care

High levels of work-related stress have been frequently documented among front-line family service providers including social workers, home visitors, and agency staff members. Left unaddressed, such stress contributes to burn-out and job turnover, with negative effects on client families as well as agencies and the workers themselves. In response to this problem, some child and family service organizations have encouraged the use of self-care practices to counteract the inherent stresses of these jobs. The present study reports on descriptions of stress and self-care contained in written portfolios of 99 family workers enrolled in a strength-based training program, the Family Development Credential®.As found in other research, virtually all study participants reported an over-arching sense of stress and anxiety, with specific issues of workload, client problems, and work/family imbalance most frequently mentioned. To deal with their stress, workers described a variety of self-care practices: most common were mindfulness, exercise, social connections, changing self-expectations, and time management. Results show a significant curvilinear relationship between the number of stresses and the number of self-care practices mentioned, such that workers discussing both the lowest and the highest number of stresses discussed fewer self-care practices than workers naming a moderate number of stresses. Although a similar relationship between the level of stress and individuals' ability to take advantage of available resources has been demonstrated for low-income families, to our knowledge the present study is the first empirical demonstration of this principle for people who serve such families. These findings illustrate the limits of individual self-care for dealing with high levels of stress, and suggest the importance of strengthening worker support at the agency level, as well as tailoring stress management programs to the needs of individual workers.

Reliability and Validity Test of the Indonesian Version of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) to Measure Work-related Stress in Nursing

Introduction: Specific work characteristics have placed nurses as one of the professions with a high level of work-related stress. If not managed properly, work-related stress can cause adverse effects. Signs of stress can be seen in people's behavior, thinking or physical symptoms. One of a subjective measurement tool that is widely used to measure work-related stress is the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), however, the literature that discusses the results of the HAM-A translation, validity and reliability test in the nurse profession is still limited. This study aims to translate HAM-A into the Indonesian version, then test its validity and reliability in nurses.Methods: A Cross-sectional study with stratified random sampling method was conducted on 98 nurses from July to August 2018. The English version of HAM-A consists of 14 items has been a translation into Indonesian version. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to evaluate the construct validity and Cronbach's alpha scores were used to assess the internal consistency reliability of the Indonesian version of HAM-A.Results: Item construct validity based on the Pearson correlation ranged from 0.529 to 0.727, Cronbach’s alpha reliability was obtained at 0.756.Conclusion:The Indonesian version of the HAM-A fulfills the criteria of a reliable (fair acceptable criteria) and valid (good criteria) assessment tool to assess the work-related stress in the nursing profession.

Reliability and Validity Test of the Indonesian Version of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) to Measure Work-related Stress in Nursing

Introduction: Specific work characteristics have placed nurses as one of the professions with a high level of work-related stress. If not managed properly, work-related stress can cause adverse effects. Signs of stress can be seen in people's behavior, thinking or physical symptoms. One of a subjective measurement tool that is widely used to measure work-related stress is the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), however, the literature that discusses the results of the HAM-A translation, validity and reliability test in the nurse profession is still limited. This study aims to translate HAM-A into the Indonesian version, then test its validity and reliability in nurses.Methods: A Cross-sectional study with stratified random sampling method was conducted on 98 nurses from July to August 2018. The English version of HAM-A consists of 14 items has been a translation into Indonesian version. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to evaluate the construct validity and Cronbach's alpha scores were used to assess the internal consistency reliability of the Indonesian version of HAM-A.Results: Item construct validity based on the Pearson correlation ranged from 0.529 to 0.727, Cronbach’s alpha reliability was obtained at 0.756.Conclusion:The Indonesian version of the HAM-A fulfills the criteria of a reliable (fair acceptable criteria) and valid (good criteria) assessment tool to assess the work-related stress in the nursing profession.

The Profile of the Brazilian Cardiologist - A Sample of Members of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology.

BackgroundData from the international literature have shown changes in the profile of cardiologists and in their medical practices. However, there is no data on this in Brazilian cardiologists.ObjectiveTo evaluate professional and personal characteristics of a sample of Brazilian cardiologists.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study; a questionnaire was sent by e-mail to cardiologists, active members of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology in 2017. The results were analyzed, and the level of significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe questionnaire was sent to 13,462 cardiologists, with 2,101 (15.6%) respondents, mostly men (71.8% versus 28.2%). Age distribution and marital status were significantly different between the sexes (p < 0.001). The number of cardiologists without children was higher among women (40.5% versus 16.1%; p < 0.001). The most common place of work was the public hospital (46.5%), followed by private hospital (28.5%) and private office (21.1%). The office was the main place of work for 23.9% of men and 14% of women (p < 0.001), with predominance of individuals older than 50 years (31.7% versus 10.1%, respectively; p < 0.001). Most cardiologists (64.2%) worked more than 40 hours a week (69% of them men and 51.9% of the women; p < 0.001). Eighty-eight percent of the sample earned more than BRL 11,000 (US$ 3,473.43), and 66.5% of the men earned more than BRL 20,000 (US$ 6,315.32) per month, versus 31.2% of the women (p < 0.001). A high level of work-related stress was reported by 11.3% of respondents.ConclusionMost cardiologists were men, who showed higher workload and higher income; 11.3% of the cardiologists perceived stress as a great deal.

Is it shift length or working practices that most affect midwives' wellbeing and ability to safely deliver care?

Midwives continue to experience high levels of work-related stress. Challenges in staffing and demands on services may contribute, but there are also indications that shift length or working practices may also be a factor, especially if midwives regularly work beyond their contracted hours or miss rest breaks. In the nursing literature, longer shifts have been associated with higher levels of fatigue, yet this has also been found in nurses working 8-hour shifts, due to the high number of consecutive shifts worked, suggesting that working practices also contribute to fatigue. Longer shifts have also been linked to poorer quality of care, yet this only appears significant when shifts exceed 12 hours. There are mixed views on job satisfaction, which may be due to personal preferences or the availability of flexible working. However, the findings of many studies are often limited by poor quality designs and cannot easily be applied to midwifery settings, where there continues to be a lack of research in this area. Further research is therefore required to understand the impact of shift length and working practices on the wellbeing of midwives and their ability to safely delivery care.

Work aggravated asthma in Great Britain: a cross-sectional postal survey.

Work aggravated asthma (WAA), asthma made worse by but not caused by workplace exposures, can have a negative impact on personal, social, financial and societal costs. There is limited data on prevalence levels of WAA in Great Britain (GB). The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of WAA in GB, and to assess its potential causes.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional postal questionnaire study was carried out. A total of 1620 questionnaires were sent to three populations of adults with asthma. The questionnaire recorded; demographic details, current job, self-reported health status, presence of asthma and respiratory symptoms, duration and severity of symptoms and medication requirements. Questions relating to work environment and employers' actions were included, and each participant completed an assessment of health-related quality of life using the EuroQol Research Foundation EQ-5D. There were 207 completed questionnaires; response rates were 6% primary care, 45% secondary care and 71% Asthma UK. This represented a 13% overall response rate. Self-reported prevalence of WAA was 33% (95% CI 24.4-41.6%). In all, 19% of workers had changed their job because of breathing problems. Workers with WAA reported higher levels of work-related stress. Quality of life using the EQ-5D utility index was lower in those with WAA. WAA is a common problem in asthmatics in GB. This result is in keeping with international prevalence rates. Further research could assist the understanding of the most significant aggravants to asthma at work and help define appropriate interventions by workplaces.

Evaluation of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for life and a cognitive behavioural therapy stress-management workshop to improve healthcare staff stress: study protocol for two randomised controlled trials

BackgroundHealthcare workers experience higher levels of work-related stress and higher rates of sickness absence than workers in other sectors. Psychological approaches have potential in providing healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to recognise stress and to manage stress effectively. The strongest evidence for effectiveness in reducing stress in the workplace is for stress-management courses based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). However, research examining effects of these interventions on sickness absence (an objective indicator of stress) and compassion for others (an indicator of patient care) is limited, as is research on brief CBT stress-management courses (which may be more widely accessible) and on MBIs adapted for workplace settings.Methods/designThis protocol is for two randomised controlled trials with participant preference between the two trials and 1:1 allocation to intervention or wait-list within the preferred choice. The first trial is examining a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and the second trial an 8-session Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) course, with both trials comparing intervention to wait-list. The primary outcome for both trials is stress post-intervention with secondary outcomes being sickness absence, compassion for others, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, wellbeing, work-related burnout, self-compassion, presenteeism, and mindfulness (MBCT-L only). Both trials aim to recruit 234 staff working in the National Health Service in the UK.DiscussionThis trial will examine whether a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and an 8-session MBCT-L course are effective at reducing healthcare staff stress and other mental health outcomes compared to wait-list, and, whether these interventions are effective at reducing sickness absence and presenteeism and at enhancing wellbeing, self-compassion, mindfulness and compassion for others. Findings will help inform approaches offered to reduce healthcare staff stress and other key variables. A note of caution is that individual-level approaches should only be part of the solution to reducing healthcare staff stress within a broader focus on organisational-level interventions and support.Trial registrationISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN11723441. Registered on 16 June 2017.Protocol Version 1: 24 April 2017.Trial Sponsor: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (ResearchGovernance@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk).

Factors related to work and life satisfaction of veterinary practitioners in Germany

ObjectivesVeterinary practitioners’ working situation is both challenging and changing. They have higher levels of work-related stress and suicide risk than the general population. The proportion of women is increasing, and...

Restructuring seriously damages well-being of workers: The case of the restructuring programme in local administration in Greece

Organisational restructuring has become an important characteristic of the modern working environment, both for private and public organisations. This study examines the impact of “Kallikratis”, a major restructuring programme of local administration in Greece, on employee well-being. Using an adapted version of the “PSYRES” questionnaire in a representative sample of 1600 employees in 13 municipalities, the study investigated the effect of restructuring, job insecurity and psychosocial factors on wellbeing. The main issues identified were the “rushed” and “abrupt” implementation of the restructuring process, as well as lack of sufficient information and training.Moreover restructuring resulted in higher levels of (reported) work intensification and stress. Increased work-related stress was found to be related to increased emotional and quantitative job demands, as well as to job insecurity. Moreover, higher levels of emotional exhaustion were found to be related to increased job demands, job insecurity and unfair treatment during change.Employees in certain departments and under permanent contract were found to be more negatively affected by restructuring. Permanent employees reported higher levels of work-related stress and emotional exhaustion. Employees working in urban planning services and waste collection services reported increased workload and significantly higher levels of stress.Restructuring has been expanding both in the private and public sector in Greece and further studies should be carried out to investigate its effects on the well-being of workers.

Workplace Stress Counseling for Nurses: A Community Counseling Model

Nurses play an integral role in providing medical services, with the quality of nursing care related closely to the level of success that these services achieve. Nursing is a high-stress occupation with a relatively high risk of work burnout, which has been associated with reduced workplace satisfaction, increased turnover, and reduced patient safety. In recent years, the high level of work-related stress in nursing has been an important issue for the government, academia, and industry. Although various plans and policies have been developed to improve the nursing environment in order to reduce stress, these have focused only on the general nursing-practice environment without substantive consideration of the impact of psychological, social, and cultural factors on nursing work stress. The present article introduces a community-counseling model and proposes a strategic plan that is designed to reduce the workplace stress of clinical nurses. We hope that the proposed model may substantially improve the problem of nursing stress and prevent work burnout. This model provides a reference for advanced nursing colleagues. Associated programs may be developed for other hospitals and organizations that use the community-counseling model.

Prevalence of Burnout among Resident Physicians in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

INTRODUCTION: Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion which is developed under high levels of work-related stress. Burnout during residency training has gained significant attention since it leaves negative impacts on job performance and patient care. This study aimed at investigating the rate of burnout among residents in different medical fields.METHOD: A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in 170 medical residents in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, 2012. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).RESULTS: Overall 52% of residents met burnout criteria ranging from 33% to 73% in different fields. There was a significant difference between specialties regarding emotional exhaustion subscale. (p=0.022). There was also a significant relationship between age and emotional exhaustion, in fact younger residents reported higher emotional exhaustion. (p=0.004)CONCLUSIONS: There was a considerable degree of burnout among residents and we found a relationship between educational field and emotional exhaustion. The highest degree of burnout was observed in Gynecology residents, and highest degree of emotional exhaustion was reported between younger residents.

On the dark side of work: a longitudinal analysis using self-determination theory

ABSTRACTAs the nature of work has changed in recent decades, employees are increasingly exposed to psychological demands in the workplace, which have associated consequences for employees, organizations, and society. Using self-determination theory, this study examined the dark side of work, in which frustration of basic psychological needs is associated with higher levels of work-related stress. In this model, work-related stress is associated with higher levels of somatic symptom burden, which in turn is associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion, turnover intention, and absenteeism. Results of a longitudinal analysis using data from four time points over 15 months supported these predictions. Taken together, this study advances the literature towards an understanding of the (potential) detrimental impact that need-thwarting work contexts can have on employee wellness and work-related outcomes.

Subjective health complaints, work-related stress and self-efficacy in Norwegian aircrew.

The European civilian aviation industry has undergone major changes in the last decade. Despite this, there is little knowledge about work-related stress and subjective health complaints (SHCs) affecting Norwegian aircrew. To investigate the relationships between work-related stress, self-efficacy and SHCs in commercial aircrew in Norway and to explore differences between cockpit and cabin crew. Aircrew members from the three major airlines operating from Norway completed an electronically distributed questionnaire. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the association between work-related stress, self-efficacy and SHCs. There was a 21% response rate. Among the 843 study subjects, tiredness, sleep problems, bloating, low back pain, headaches and neck pain were the most prevalent SHCs. Cabin crew reported significantly higher numbers, prevalences and mean values for all SHCs compared with cockpit crew (P < 0.05). In total, 20% reported high stress levels. High levels of work-related stress were significantly associated with all SHC factors in both groups. Self-efficacy partly moderated the relationship between stress and psychological complaints in both cockpit and cabin crew, and for musculoskeletal complaints in cockpit crew. The model explained 23 and 32% of the variance in psychological complaints for cockpit and cabin crew, respectively. Commercial aircrew in Norway reported high numbers of SHCs, and high levels of work-related stress were associated with high numbers of SHC. More knowledge is needed on the physical, organizational and psychosocial stressors affecting cockpit and cabin crew in order to create a healthier work environment for these groups.

The Motivations behind Child Welfare Work

This report seeks to explore the findings of a qualitative research study concerning the motivations behind child welfare work. Child welfare is a major field within the social work profession that demands a great deal of expertise and effort from workers. Professionals employed as case managers within the child welfare field are held accountable for a wide variety of social work roles, often placing these individuals at risk of emotional trauma and high levels of work-related stress. Due to this, workers who remain in the field for extensive periods of time often experience strong sensations of purpose relative to their work. Our study found that child welfare caseworkers were motivated by altruism and a deep desire to improve the lives of their clients. They were also kept motivated by the successes that came from time to time. While trials seem to be experienced on a regular basis, child welfare caseworkers generally found their work to be a positive presence within the families they serve. Further research is needed to expound upon the findings of this study.

Effects of Hardiness and Years of Military Service on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in U.S. Army Medics

We examined the effects of hardiness on symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) in postdeployed U.S. Army medics (N = 322). Medics endure a high level of work-related stress on and off the battlefield. Hardiness correlated negatively with reports of PTS symptoms and moderated the cumulative effects of years of military service on PTS symptoms. After controlling for socially desirable responding, PTS symptoms increased with years of military service for those with low levels of hardiness and decreased with years of military service for those with very high levels of hardiness. The military’s current resiliency training programs would likely benefit from incorporating hardiness measures and principles into its curriculum.