Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Pediatric Healthcare Workers

Author:

Rigas Nikolaos1ORCID,Kyritsis Zacharias2,Dagla Maria1ORCID,Soldatou Alexandra3,Orovou Eirini4ORCID,Tzitiridou-Chatzopoulou Maria4,Eskitzis Panagiotis4ORCID,Antoniou Evangelia1ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Midwifery, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece

2. Department of Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

3. Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece

4. Department of Midwifery, University of Western Macedonia, 50200 Ptolemaida, Greece

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to work in pediatric departments aremajor public health problems, as they directly affect health organizations, healthcare workers, and, due to the poor quality of care, the patients as well. The post-traumatic symptoms that a healthcare worker may experience are related to intrusion, avoidance, negative changes in cognition and mood, and changes in arousal and reactivity. The aim of the present investigation was to identify risk factors that contribute to the development of PTSD in pediatric healthcare workers, in order to implement necessary workplace measures. A sample of four hundred and forty-five pediatric workers at seven Greek public hospitals consented to participate in the survey. Socio-demographic data and a post-traumatic checklist (5th edition) were used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the results, risk factors for the development of post-traumatic symptoms include medical or nursing errors, threats to a child’s life, and incidents of workplace bullying. More specifically, 25.2% of the participants had a provisional PTSD diagnosis, 72.8%of the sample experienced an incident involving a medical or nursing error in their workplace related to the treatment or care of a child, 56% experienced an incident involving a child’s death or a threat to a child’s life due to a serious illness or injury, and 55.5% experienced an incident of workplace bullying. In addition, it was found that having a university-level education, master’s, or PhD, working in a circular shift, being assigned to a department by management rather than the worker, and dissatisfaction with salary were associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. The high rates of PTSD symptoms among participants highlight the need for prevention and management measures to protect and support the mental health of workers in pediatric departments. We propose frequent evaluations of the mental health of employees, more time for rest, incentives for professional development, utilization of their specializations and specialties, support from mental health specialists when symptoms are diagnosed, and the option for employees to change departments if they wish or if they show symptoms of mental trauma.

Publisher

MDPI AG

Reference60 articles.

1. Workplace Violence in Different Settings and among Various Health Professionals in an Italian General Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study;Ferri;Psychol. Res. Behav. Manag.,2016

2. Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Pediatric Acute Care Nurses;Czaja;J. Pediatr. Nurs.,2012

3. (2022, August 03). PTSD: National Center for PTSD Home, Available online: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/.

4. (2020, September 23). DSM-5 Criteria for PTSD. BrainLine. Available online: https://www.brainline.org/article/dsm-5-criteria-ptsd.

5. Nurses’ Perceptions of Critical Incidents;Jeavons;J. Adv. Nurs.,2003

Cited by 2 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3