| Stress is a well-known and identified problem within | | | | moment without judgment (Cohen-Katz et al., 2005). |
| the nursing profession. According to Atkinson stress | | | | The study measured levels of burnout, emotional |
| occurs when one is faced with events or encounters | | | | exhaustion, emotional overextension and |
| that they perceive as an endangerment to their | | | | psychological distress. |
| physical or psychological well being (as sited in | | | | This particular intervention program not only |
| McGowan, 2001). Additionally stress levels will increase | | | | decreased the stress level post treatment but the |
| when controllability and predictability in a situation | | | | control group also experienced a benefit prior to |
| decrease. There is an inverse relationship between | | | | treatment while waiting for the program. This could |
| stress and job satisfaction, as stress goes up, job | | | | be related to the desire to reduce stress in |
| satisfaction falls. As a result this increased stress | | | | anticipation of participating in the program. This |
| could commonly results in decreased job satisfaction | | | | further support the need nurses have to make |
| and decreased quality of life. This could potentially | | | | changes for the better by decreasing stress levels. |
| contribute to nurses leaving the profession and as an | | | | This MBSR study again found a reduction in emotional |
| end consequence, account for the current nursing | | | | exhaustion and an increased feeling of personal |
| shortage. | | | | accomplishment in the treatment group post |
| The cause of stress for nurses has found to be | | | | intervention. Furthermore these effects led to a |
| related to the nature of the profession. Included in | | | | decrease in stress that had a lasting affect over a |
| these stressors are an intense work environment | | | | three-month period. This validates the positive |
| with extended work hours, weekends, night and | | | | effects of the use of this intervention in the |
| holidays. According to Ruggiero (2003) stress could | | | | reduction of stress. |
| be related to variables of shift work, which is both | | | | A third positive interactive intervention study was a |
| physically and mentally taxing. This study also found | | | | program, which offered a conflict-management |
| varying degrees of depression in nurses ranging from | | | | training class in order to decrease potential stress for |
| mild to severe. Finally this study revealed that nurses | | | | employees in health care organizations. This particular |
| were indifferent and disconnected to the job by | | | | study also supported the need to offer a way to |
| feeling neither satisfied or unsatisfied with the work. | | | | prevent or decrease stress by creating a positive |
| Results such as these expose how large a problem | | | | environment through personal empowerment. There |
| stress is for the profession of nursing. | | | | was a significant reduction pretest and posttest in |
| Factors of the intense emotional support that is | | | | role overload, interpersonal strain, role boundaries and |
| needed for the patient and family is yet another | | | | psychological strain. The participants reported that |
| burden of stress placed on nurse. In addition, | | | | they were better able to find balance in their position |
| exposures to pain, suffering and traumatic life events | | | | and were able to manage the demands of their job |
| that the nurse experience on a daily basis can | | | | (Haraway & Haraway, 2005). These findings |
| contribute to stress (Cohen-Katz, Capuano, Baker, | | | | confirm the need to make available even brief |
| & Shapiro, 2005). These concerns can lead to | | | | interventions such as this in an effort to reduce |
| emotional exhaustion for nurses. | | | | conflict. This could in turn reduce stress and increase |
| The lack of organizational support and involvement, | | | | perceived control and empowerment, which increases |
| which are outside of the control of nurses can | | | | job satisfaction. Furthermore this would improve |
| greatly affect job satisfaction (McGowan, 2001). | | | | work environment by making it more supportive |
| There is also a lack of control and power in an | | | | All of these programs discussed, offered intervention |
| environment predominantly controlled by physicians. | | | | for at least one aspect of possible stress factors. |
| These stressors can contribute to psychological | | | | Reducing physical or emotional stress and offering |
| exhaustion and increased stress. | | | | more control and empowerment while creating a |
| Consequently this leads to the question of what | | | | more positive working environment are all successful |
| supportive interventions have been implemented for | | | | interventions to increase job satisfaction. |
| nurse, to decrease their stress thereby increasing | | | | Consequently increased job satisfaction leads to |
| their coping mechanisms. Would the availability of | | | | decreased stress. The results of this study suggest a |
| stress reducing programs contribute to coping | | | | strong link was identified between the two issues |
| mechanism and increase job satisfaction? Additionally | | | | (Ruggiero, 2003). |
| how effective are these interventions? | | | | There is a common thread within all these |
| In my initial search for stress interventions I | | | | interventions. They are available and effective |
| encountered many studies located in the Ovid | | | | interventions that can be implemented to become a |
| database that site stress in nursing and other related | | | | part of nursing practice and other health care |
| health care field. Key words such as stress | | | | workers in many different health care settings. These |
| management, burnout, job satisfaction, nursing | | | | actual structured group interventions could be more |
| retention, quality of life, environment and alternative | | | | effective to create a decrease in stress individually. |
| therapies were utilized for this search. These studies | | | | Programs such as these have a proven value and are |
| revealed definitions of stress and countless and | | | | a simple easy and relatively inexpensive intervention. |
| various causes and explanations for the stress | | | | Offering them to nurses and other health care |
| experienced by nurses and other health care | | | | employees could be considered a preventative |
| workers. | | | | measure for potential stress. |
| There were comparative studies between different | | | | In addition these findings substantiate the need for |
| nursing backgrounds and environment. For example | | | | regular stress reduction programs to be offered |
| medical-surgical nursing verses home-health nursing | | | | through hospitals and other medical employment |
| (Salmond & Ropis, 2005), which examined and | | | | organizations. The use of these and similar programs |
| compared the differences in both backgrounds. | | | | provide a far reaching benefit for the nursing |
| Ultimately it found both areas of practice had their | | | | profession. Anticipatory measures for the reduction |
| own version of stress and it identified common | | | | of stress can increase job satisfaction, potentially |
| stressors. Unfortunately no concrete measures were | | | | increase nursing retention. Goals for these programs |
| utilized to combat the problem | | | | could include guidance in the stress management |
| There were also illustrations comparing different | | | | techniques, increase social support, open |
| styles of management and how nursing stress is | | | | communication, role strengthening and empowerment |
| affected. Magnet organizations were compared with | | | | and individual growth to fully utilize positive |
| traditional organization (Upenieks, 2003). The results | | | | interventions (Cohen-Katz et al., 2005). |
| of this particular study did prove that positive and | | | | Future studies in programs for stress intervention |
| supportive administration could make a difference in | | | | should include additional similar studies offered to a |
| the levels of stress but again no specific stress | | | | larger sample with long term and ongoing evaluations |
| intervention measures were used | | | | of their effectiveness. Consideration of other |
| There is a clear recognition and acknowledgement of | | | | alternative adjunct intervention therapies that assist |
| the problem of stress in nursing but there is a | | | | in stress reduction could be examined such as yoga |
| significant lack of information that actually addressed | | | | and mediation. The use of these physically and |
| the problem with potential positive interventions. The | | | | emotionally stress-reducing techniques may also be |
| few studies discovered were all found to show | | | | effective in stress lessening and coping measures |
| positive results to some degree. These findings | | | | increasing. |
| support the positive outcome that the initiation of | | | | It is my hope that in the future interventions to |
| actual stress interventions or programs within the | | | | prevent stress in nurses and health care workers will |
| workplace can offer. | | | | be offered as a standard part of a benefit package |
| The first study used the physical intervention of | | | | within all health care organizations. Stress prevention |
| massage therapy over a 5 week period for nurses in | | | | can be a win-win situation where everyone will |
| a hospital facility (Bost & Wallis, 2006). This | | | | benefit. Nurses will have decreased stress and |
| intervention was identified to reduce stress as well as | | | | increased coping mechanism, which will increase job |
| support nurses individually and organizationally. The | | | | satisfaction. This could lead to increased nurse |
| effects measured were physical and psychological. | | | | retention. Subsequently as result of this contentment |
| The study found no change in the physical findings of | | | | and increased quality of life the nurse will be a |
| blood pressure and urinary cortisol levels, however | | | | superior employee and better able to provide care |
| there was decrease in the State-Trait Anxiety | | | | for themselves and their patients. |
| Inventory (STAI) in the treatment group compared | | | | References |
| to the control group. Although there was no physical | | | | Bormann, J. E., Becker, S., Gershwin, M., Kelly, A., |
| benefits measured it did reduce the psychological | | | | Pada, L., & Smith, T. L. et al. (2006). Relationship |
| effects of stress. These results suggest that offering | | | | of frequent mantram repetition to emotional and |
| the intervention of massage therapy is beneficial in | | | | spiritual well-being in healthcare workers. The Journal |
| decreasing anxiety levels, which in turn could reduce | | | | of Continuing Education in Nursing, 37(5), 218-224. |
| stress. | | | | Retrieved October 3, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| The other interventions researched involved a more | | | | Bost, N., & Wallis, M. (2006). The effectiveness |
| interactive process. These studies called upon the | | | | of a 15 minute weekly massage in reducing physical |
| motivation of the participants or nurses to take part | | | | and psychological stress in nurses. Australian Journal |
| in the intervention. The involvement of these nurse | | | | of Advanced Nursing, 23(4), 28-33. Retrieved |
| participants supports a need to decrease stress by | | | | September 6, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| their desire to assist in making changes internally that | | | | Cohen-Katz, J., Capuano, T., Baker, D. M., & |
| will affect them externally. | | | | Shapiro, S. (2005). The effects of mindfulness-based |
| The use of mantra to relieve stress was one of | | | | stress reduction on nurse stress and burnout, part II. |
| these interventions. This examined the effectiveness | | | | Holistic Nursing Practice, , 26-35. Retrieved September |
| of using a mantra or repeated mantra to affect the | | | | 27, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| level of stress and emotional and spiritual well being. | | | | Haraway, D. L., & Haraway, W. M. (2005). |
| Mantra utilization was taught to health care workers | | | | Analysis of the effect of conflict-management and |
| through a 5-part intervention program offered | | | | resolution training on employee stress at a healthcare |
| through the hospital prior to the study (Bormann et | | | | organization. Hospital Topics: Research and |
| al., 2006). This is a good example of a valid and | | | | Perspectives on Healthcare, , 11-17. Retrieved |
| tangible intervention that can be offered to increase | | | | October 28, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| coping mechanism while decreasing stress. The | | | | McGowan, B. (2001). Self-reported stress and it's |
| findings supported the positive results of this study | | | | effects on nurses. Nursing Standard, 15(42), 33-38. |
| by showing a significant reduction in perceived stress | | | | Retrieved September 28, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| (Perceived Stress Scale), trait anxiety (State-Trait | | | | Ruggiero, J. S. (2003). Health, work variables, and job |
| Anxiety Inventory), and trait anger (State-Trait | | | | satisfaction among nurses. JONA, 35(5), 254-263. |
| Anger Inventory) post intervention. There was also | | | | Retrieved October 3, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| an increase in quality of life and existential and total | | | | Salmond, S. & Ropis, P. E. (2005). Job stress and |
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| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program | | | | medical-surgical and home care nurses. Retrieved |
| was a series of quantitative and qualitative studies | | | | September 28, 2006, from Ovid data base |
| offered and taught within the hospital work | | | | Upenieks, V. V. (2003). The interrelationship of |
| environment. This program specifically addressed the | | | | organizational characteristics of magnet hospitals, |
| issue of stress for nurses. MBSR is based on the | | | | nursing leadership, and nursing job satisfaction. Health |
| concept of becoming mindful and fully present in the | | | | Care Manager, 22(2), 83-98. |