“…Given this observation and that a large proportion of health care is concerned with sickness, disease, suffering and death, it is unsurprising to find that nurses have been targeted by stress researchers. The literature on qualified nurses is, as such, extensive (see Bailey & Clarke, 1989; Jones & Johnston, 2000a; Sutherland & Cooper, 1990; Wheeler, 1997a, 1997b, 1997c, 1997d, 1998a, 1998b; Williams, Michie, & Pattani, 1998). In recent years, British nursing has been experiencing some recruitment difficulties (Bucchan & Seccombe, 2003; Department of Health, 1999) and there has been speculation that stress is associated with drop‐out rates among nursing students (Baldwin, Dodd, & Wrate, 1998; Lindop, 1989; West & Rushton, 1986).…”