Download - Liliana Medina-Pimentel Jacksonville University May 8, 2015 RECOGNIZING STRESS SIGNS FOR NURSES
Liliana Medina-Pimentel
Jacksonville University
May 8, 2015
RECOGNIZING STRESS SIGNS FOR
NURSES
Problem
• According to Burke, stress to nurses is caused by pressures and work demands (2013).
• A survey done in 2012 with about 3,000 nursing participants showed that 42% of nurses were categorized as having emotional fatigue (Burke, 2013).
• Stress in nursing has become a worldwide concern (Happell et al., 2013).
Major Factors forNurses to be Stressed
• Inadequate staffing
• Insufficient time to finish tasks
• Working during their break time
• Job dissatisfaction
• Workload
• Physical and emotional demands
• Working long hours
• Difficult patients and families
• Relationships with physicians
Physiological Changes Due to Stress• The sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal-cortical systems
prepare the body for the “fight-or-flight” response.
• By the activation of these systems, there is a production of several hormones in the body.
• These hormones cause accelerated heart rate, high blood pressure and sugar levels, vasoconstriction and failure of the digestive and immune systems.
Repeated Activation of the Sympathetic and Adrenal-Cortical Systems
• Troubles with temperament and sleep
• Digestive problems
• Headaches
• Family problems
• Difficulty concentrating
• Elevated blood pressure and cholesterol
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Infections
• Nervousness
• Depression
Early Signs of Stress Chronic Signs of Stress
Stress Related Outcomes• Nurses could get depressed
• They are unable to sleep
• They could feel inadequate
• They doubt themselves
• They have low self-esteem
• They tend to be irritable
Stress and Adoptive BehaviorsDue to constant stress nurses adopt unhealthy behaviors:
• Smoking
• Drinking
• Inactivity
• Drugs
• Psychiatric consults
Job Stress InterventionsRoberts and Grubb (2014) acknowledged that there should be a combination of interventions to reduce stress and ensure nurse’s safety.
These interventions include:
• Person-focused
• Organization-focused
Person-FocusStress management programs
• Nurses control a stressful situation
• Nurses get educated regarding stress and health
• Person-focus program teaches nurses skills to recognize and cope with stress.
Organization-FocusBy using this method, the goal of an organization is to remove stressful working conditions.
Some interventions include:
• Organizations redesign jobs and their descriptions
• Make nurses and management committees
• Improve nurses involvement and participation in creating decisions
• Their goal is to focus on nurse to patient ratios, modifying working hours, providing breaks, and a balance assignment.
Conclusion
It is well known that nursing is a very challenging career. It is the nurses’s choice to recognize early signs of stress in order to prevent unhealthy adoptive behaviors.
ReferencesBurke, M. (2013). Managing work-related stress in the district nursing workplace. British Journal of
Community Nursing, 18(11), 535-8.
Donovan, R., Doody, O., & Lyons, R. (2013). The effect of stress on health and its implications for nursing.
British Journal of Nursing, 22(16), 969-73.
Happell, B., Dwyer, T., Reid-Searl, K., Burke, K. J., Caperchione, C. M., & Gaskin, C. J. (2013). Nurses
and stress: recognizing causes and seeking solutions. Journal of Nursing Management, 21(4), 638-47. doi:
http://dx.doi.org.ju.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/jonm.12037
Roberts, R., & Grubb, P. L. (2014). The consequences of nursing stress and need for integrated solutions.
Rehabilitation Nursing, 39(2), 62-9. Doi: http://dx.doi.org.ju.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/rnj.97
Stressed Out Nurse Oval Ornament by Scott64. Retrieved 5/8/15 from www.cafepress.com
Stress Symbol. Retrieved May 15, 2015 from sixtipstobuldresilienceandpreventbrain-
damaging-stress.
WWII Smoking Nurses. Retrieved May 15, from weheartit.com/entry/group/11353599