STRESS, BURNOUT AND COPING STRATEGIES OF REGISTERED NURSES IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.
Contributors: University of San Francisco.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 176
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Coping with multiple and conflicting expectations in nursing has resulted in chronic tardiness, absenteeism, high attrition rates, and greater exodus of nurses from professional practice due to extreme stress and burnout. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of psychological stress and burnout and to describe coping strategies of registered nurses. A cross-sectional timebound mailed survey was used to collect data from a random sample of nurses employed full-time in acute care hospitals in Northern California. Instruments used were the Nursing Stress Scale (NSS), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS), and a demographic questionnaire.

Correlational studies, univariate and multivariate tests of significance were employed to examine the relationship between coping mode and stress and burnout; and to explore the influence of demographic variables on stress, burnout and coping. Means and standard deviations were computed for all variables.

Stress scores correlated positively to all subscales for the MBI. Unexpected findings include a strongly positive relationship between stress scores and the subscore of personal accomplishment and a moderately positive relationship between stress and coping. All subjects used problem oriented (active problem-solving) coping strategies or a combination of problem oriented and affective (emotional) oriented coping strategies. Those using the problem oriented mode had lower scores on stress and burnout and higher scores for personal accomplishment. Those nurses providing greater than 30 hours per week of direct patient care had the lowest scores for stress, burnout and personal accomplishment. The group providing 25-30 hours of direct patient care per week had higher scores for stress, burnout and personal accomplishment.

It was concluded that a positive relationship between stress, burnout and coping strategies exists such that the higher the stress, the more burnout and the more frequent the use of coping strategies. More nurses use problem oriented coping strategies which are related to lower stress and burnout. Direct patient care may not be as great a source of stress as other common nursing activities, but neither is it as great a source of personal accomplishment.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-06, Section: B, page: 2130.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1988.

School code: 6019.