Surveys conducted among healthcare workers revealed that nursing staff often face various stressors associated with occupational activities, which reduce their work efficiency. The aim of the study ...was to establish the level of stress in nurses working at hospitals in Slovenia and to identify stress-related factors.
A cross-sectional epidemiological design and a standardized instrument called the "Nursing stress scale" were used. The sample included 983 nurses from 21 Slovenian hospitals. The research was conducted in 2016.
Prevalence of high level of stress was 56.5% of respondents (M (median)=75). Prevalence of high level of stress and stress factors may be statistically significant attributable to dissatisfaction at work (p<0.001), disturbing factors at work (p<0.001), inability to take time off in lieu after working on weekend (p=0.003), shorter serving (p=0.009), fixed-term work (p=0.007), and an increased number of workdays on Sunday (p=0.030).
The stress rate and stress factors are substantially influenced by variables reflecting work organization, competences and skills of healthcare management to work with people. Results reflect the need for nursing management and policy makers to design strategies to ensure adequate staffing, efficient organization and an encouraging work environment.
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are often exposed to mistreatment by patients, which has negative effects on both staff and institutions. To take appropriate action to help HCWs in this context, ...patient-related social stressors (PSS) should be explored. The purpose of the research was to identify the most pronounced patient behaviour contributing to the social stress (SS) of HCWs, and compare PSS between different HCWs and different types of healthcare institutions.
750 HCWs from Slovenian public health centres and hospitals participated in the online survey. Although the non-probability sampling was used, the sample was representative according to gender and HCW type (doctors, nurses and other HCWs).
The results show that the most pronounced patient behaviour contributing to the SS of HCWs are attitudes and behaviour of patients that are challenging in terms of what is - from the HCWs' point of view - considered as acceptable and reasonable (disproportionate patient expectations), and unpleasant, humourless, and hostile patients. HCWs in primary institutions meet less verbally aggressive and unpleasant patients than in tertiary ones. Although among all HCWs less educated ones are more exposed to inappropriate behaviour, doctors are those HCWs who experience more inappropriate behaviour.
Managers should enable HCWs to get comprehensive patient service training, oriented towards improving relationship management and patient-HCW relationships.
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