Occupational Stress and Coping among Nurses

Abstract

This paper explores nurses’ occupational stressors and coping mechanisms. In nurses occupational stress appears to vary according to individual and job characteristics, and work-family conflict. Common occupational stressors among nurses are workload, role ambiguity, interpersonal relationships, and death and dying concerns. Emotional distress, burnout and psychological morbidity could also result from occupational stress. Nurses’ common coping mechanisms include problem solving, social support and avoidance. Perceived control appears to be an important mediator of occupational stress. Coping and job satisfaction appear to be reciprocally related. Shift work is highly prevalent among nurses and a significant source of stress. The effects, moderating influences, coping mechanisms and risk factors associated with shift work are considered in detail here. Prophylactic and curative measures are important for nurses at both personal as well as organisational levels.