Journal article
Stressors and coping strategies of emergency department nurses and doctors: A cross-sectional study
Australasian Emergency Care, Vol.22(3), pp.180-186
09/2019
PMID: 31151793
Metrics
113 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
Background: Emergency departments (EDs) are stressful workplaces. Limited research explores components ED staff find stressful and how they cope. The aim of this study is to describe ED staff perceptions of their working environment.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 2017 in a public, teaching hospital ED situated in an outer-metropolitan low socio-economic area. ED doctors and nurses completed surveys exploring workplace stressors (the ED stressors tool), coping strategies (Jalowiec Coping Scale), and perceptions of the working environment (Working Environment Scale-10). Descriptive and comparative analyses were undertaken.
Results: A 40% response rate (161/400) was achieved. Staff reported high workload, moderate self-realisation, and low levels of conflict and nervousness. Heavy workload, poor skill-mix and overcrowding were ranked as high-stress, high-exposure (daily) events. The death or sexual abuse of a child and inability to provide optimal care were ranked highly stressful but infrequent. Coping strategies most often used included: trying to keep life as normal as possible (90%) and considering different ways to handle the situation (89%).
Conclusion: Impacts of varying degrees of exposure of this young cohort of staff, with limited experience, to modifiable and non-modifiable stressors highlight site-specific opportunities to enhance staff perceptions of their working environment.
Details
- Title
- Stressors and coping strategies of emergency department nurses and doctors: A cross-sectional study
- Creators
- Hui (Grace) Xu - Department of Emergency Medicine, Logan Hospital, Armstrong Rd & Loganlea Rd, Meadowbrook, Logan, Qld 4131, AustraliaAmy N.B Johnston - Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Qld, AustraliaJaimi H Greenslade - Emergency and Trauma Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Bowen Bridge Rd, Herston, Qld 4029, AustraliaMarianne Wallis - Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Qld, AustraliaElizabeth Elder - Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Qld, AustraliaLouisa Abraham - Emergency and Trauma Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Bowen Bridge Rd, Herston, Qld 4029, AustraliaOgilvie Thom - Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston, Qld 4029, AustraliaEric Carlström - Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 457, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, SwedenJulia Crilly - Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Qld, Australia
- Publication Details
- Australasian Emergency Care, Vol.22(3), pp.180-186
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 991012927096202368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health; Nursing
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article