Stress among the staff — who looks after the nurse?

The nature of the impact of stress on the nurse is examined — focusing specifically on the ‘stressors’ relevant to the nurse working with spinal injury patients, and various stress-coping mechanisms are described.

Abstract

This paper examines the nature of the impact of stress on the nurse — focusing specifically on the ‘stressors’ relevant to the nurse working with spinal injury patients. The contribution of the psychological literature on the relationship between arousal level and anxiety is considered, as are the various modalities through which anxiety is experienced (physiological, behavioural, emotional and cognitive). Stress responses of increased aggression, irritability, hostility, changes in social functioning and behavioural disorganisation are discussed before considering the various stressors acting on the nurse in both private and working life. Drawing on data gathered from interviews with nurses, various stress-coping mechanisms are described. Questions of where stress should be tackled, by whom, and whether it is tackled adequately are raised. Three major conclusions are reached: o| 1. The need for adequate support for nurses under particular stress must be more clearly recognised. 2. Further education and training in this area must be made available to all staff. 3. Both financial and personnel resources need to be actively allocated to enable effective treatment of an established problem area, one which is already causing casualties among a costly resource group.