File(s) under permanent embargo
How nurses cope with occupational stress outside their workplaces
journal contribution
posted on 2013-09-01, 00:00 authored by B Happell, K Reid-Searl, T Dwyer, C M Caperchione, Cadeyrn GaskinCadeyrn Gaskin, K J BurkeNursing is acknowledged as a stressful occupation, and the negative impact of high stress levels have been widely researched. Less attention has been paid to methods for coping with stress. The researchers conducted a study to explore and identify how nurses cope with work-related stress away from their work environments. Six focus groups were conducted with 38 nurses, including nursing directors, nurse unit managers, and ward nurses from a wide range of clinical areas. From the interview material, 11 coping strategies were identified: drinking alcohol, smoking, using the staff social club, using social networking websites, exercising, family activities, home-based activities, outdoor activities, avoiding people, displacement, and sleep. Although several adaptive strategies appear in this list (e.g., exercising, home-based activities), some nurses were using unhealthy behaviours to cope with work-related stress (e.g., drinking alcohol, smoking, displacement). This study clearly demonstrates the value of using qualitative approaches to understanding how nurses cope with stress. Knowledge produced locally, such as that generated for the hospital in this study, should serve as the foundation for organisational strategies to enhance the health of nurses. © 2013.
History
Journal
CollegianVolume
20Issue
3Pagination
195 - 199Publisher DOI
ISSN
1322-7696Publication classification
C Journal article; C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2013, Australian College of Nursing Ltd.Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC