WORK STRESS, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND HEALTH IN UNIVERSITY NURSE EDUCATORS (STRESS).
Contributors: University of Wisconsin--Madison.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 142
Subjects: Education, Administration.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Industrial.
Description: The purposes of this study were to (a) identify the degree of perceived job stress/strain, social support, and health reported by university nurse educators; (b) assess the relationship of perceived job stress/strain and social support on the perceived health-status of university nursing faculty; (c) compare job stress/strain among faculty employed at research and comprehensive universities; and (d) determine the degree to which social support moderates the job stress/strain and health relationship. A comparative, cross-sectional study used five instruments to survey 152 (54% return rate) nurse educators from research and comprehensive universities. LaRocco's Theoretical Model of Occupational Stress was used to test the relationships hypothesized in the study.

Nurse educators from research and comprehensive universities were remarkably homogenous. They reported a high level of social support but a low level of satisfaction with the help received related to work concerns. They were similar to national samples of university professors in reporting the same eight out of ten top stressors resulting from the university faculty role. Major stressors stemmed from professional identity and time constraints. They reported that 66 percent of their stress comes from work. Burnout levels were in the moderate range for emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, and in a low range for depersonalization. Health status was perceived to be moderate social support: had in inverse relationship to job stress/strain; was positively related to positive health status; moderates the relationship between job stress and perceived health status; and partially moderates the relationship between job-related strain and health status.

Given the negative consequences of job stress/strain on the individual, university, and potentially the nursing profession, actions are needed. Stress reduction through development of social support strategies including team building, participative management, mentoring, and faculty development activities aimed at stress reduction and positive coping are suggested.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-08, Section: A, page: 2837.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON, 1993.

School code: 0262.