Iranian Clinical Nurses' Coping Strategies for Job Stress

Abstract

Since the existence of work-related stressors is inevitable in nurses' workplace, nurses usually use a variety of coping strategies which can be called cognitive, affective, and behavioral techniques. In this study, we aimed to explore the coping strategies employed by the Iranian clinical nurses in depth. Methods: This work was a qualitative study using Straus and Corbin's grounded theory approach focusing on the process of coping with job stress used by Iranian clinical nurses. Results: The results of the present qualitative study indicate that the core category was "on the route to coping" which contained six categories comprising work management, self-control, emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and interactional strategies. Conclusions: We conclude that in nursing it is inevitable that different kinds of strategies are used to cope with the many stressors. The conceptual model emerging from the data indicate that nurses are engaged in a dynamic process of struggling to cope with job stressors. In fact, they are "on the route to coping" with the job stressors. Considering the high level of stress in the nursing profession, the findings of this study have implications for both hospital managers and Iranian clinical nurses. (J Occup Health 2011; 53: 123-129)

Job Stressors, Coping and Resilience among Nurses in Gaza Strip

“…Others found that nurses had a number of sources of stress in their jobs, such as long work days, time pressure, sleep deprivation, high expectations from others and a low tolerance for error [25,26]. Our study findings were consistent with study of Jannati et al [27] of Iranian nurses which showed that nurses mainly suffer from having less-skilled colleagues and personal lack of skill ,relationship with colleagues, medical team, superiors, patients' families and other departments, hardships of nursing, multiplicity of problems, working in shifts, workload, being responsive, social status of the profession, caregiving), facilities, physical conditions of workplace and welfare of the nurses and the kind of ward and job security, high responsibility and irrelevant duties. Pisanti et al [28] in a study of Italian (N = 609) and Dutch (N = 873) nurses, showed that Italian nurses perceived their job characteristics, organizational conditions, and well-being as more unfavorable than their Dutch colleagues.…”

Situational Anxiety among Nurses

“…As a powerful factor in the health care system, in fact they play an important role in improving and promoting the health services in the community (2,3). Nurses are routinely deal with pain, suffering, events, and death of patients in the workplace; consequently, the improper emotional reactions such as stress, anxiety, and depression are the known and integral characteristics of modern nursing that may cause major problems for nurses and patients (4)(5)(6).…”

Coping Work Strategies and Job Satisfaction Among Iranian Nurses

“…Two studies (20%) analyzed the effect of coping strategies and yoga employed among Iranian nurses in hospital wards (27, 28). The remaining studies (20%) analyzed the effect of a cognitive–behavioral stress management training program (23), and assessed the relationship of nurses’ stresses to environmental and occupational factors (29).…”

“…Three studies (30%) included samples of nurses who had more than 1-year’s work experience, at least 2 years working in different wards (24, 27, 28), and voluntarily participated in the studies (22, 27, 30). Two (20%) studies, enrolled nurses working in different wards and held an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree (25, 29).…”

“…The majority of studies reported techniques of participant selection; the largest percentage of studies (40%) relied on volunteerism (22, 27, 30). Five out of 10 studies used equal random selection (23), census (31), random stratified sampling (24), proportional sampling (26), and selective hospitals (28).…”