Stress And Coping Among Emergency Nurses

Objective:To explore stressor,stress level and coping strategies among Emergency nurses;to examine the relationship between stress level and coping technique of Emergency nurses.Methods:From Dec 2006 to Feb 2007,143 questionnaires were distributed to all emergency registered nurses working in five state-own tertiary hospitals in Changsha,Hunan,PRC(n=143).124 valid questionnaires received.The questionnaire included demographic data form,nurses stress inventory,Jalowiec coping scale.Results1.The top ten stressors were:ill-manner of patients and their relatives(scold,improper demands,beat et al);the need to care for contagious or potential infectious patients;frequent on shifts;too much complicated,dangerous ill and unpredictable deteriorate patients;the stress of high-risk occupations;fear to make mistakes in work;lack of safety guarantee and insufficient universal precaution intervention;low social status and uncooperative patients.The highest scores of sub-stressors were caring for patients.2.The stress level of Emergency nurses was moderate.Among them 16%was mild,71%was moderate,13%was severe. 3.This study found that all subjects used combination of problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping strategies.However, majority of them(84.7%)used more problem-focused coping strategies than emotion-focused coping strategies.4.Problem-focused coping strategies was significantly negatively correlated with emergency nurses' stress level(r=-0.206,p＜0.01), emotion-focused coping strategies was significantly positively correlated with emergency nurses' stress level(r=0.373,P＜0.01).Conclusion1.The main stressors of emergency nurses were caring for patients,nursing profession.2.The stress level of emergency nurses were moderate.3.Emergency nurses used more problem-focused strategies than emotion-focused strategies.4.Problem-focused coping strategies was significantly negatively correlated with emergency nurses' stress level,emotion-focused coping strategies was significantly positively correlated with emergency nurses, stress level.