Relations between stress and coping in federal universities nursing teachers of a Brazilian state-analytical study

Abstract

Objective: To relate stress and coping in the labor environment of Federal Universities nursing teachers in Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, analytic and quantitative study, conducted with 108 teachers from Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. For data collection, there were used: Form with personal/occupational data; Stress Scale at Work, Inventory Coping Strategies. Data were analyzed through the inferential statistics. The project of this investigation was approved by the CEP/UFSM, under protocol number CAAE: 0380.0.243.000-10. Results: There was predominance of teachers with low stress (93.52%). The Social Support was the highest average Coping factor (X = 1.98, SD = 0.53). There was a significant negative association of low intensity between stress and factors of Acceptance of Responsibility and Escape-avoidance. There was no significant correlation between low stress and coping strategies focused on the problem. Conclusions: The teachers had low stress and found the use of coping strategies focused on emotions. The results are opposed to the hypothesis of this study that teachers with low stress would use coping strategies focused on problem. Programs aiming to enhance the use of coping strategies, especially those focused on emotion, should be developed to reduce the stress levels of nursing teachers.

Occupational stress and sleep quality in professors of the health area

“…Regarding to the degree, professors with mas-ter´s degree (73.7%) predominated. In a survey of 107 professors from a federal university, it was observed predominance of those with a doctorate degree (68.2%) (15) . The same was verified in a survey of 270 professors from the Federal University of Rio Grande, in which 75% had a doctorate degree (14) .…”

“…Nursing, for example, is an essentially female profession, the opposite being found in the course of medicine that is characteristically male. Although there is a change in this culturally constructed profile, different studies still demonstrate the existence of this panorama (14)(15) .…”

“…As for the other variables common in studies carried out with professors, the researchers point out that a stable relationship, such as marriage, and the presence of children are elements working as a social support, stress coping strategy that helps to minimize stress and their physical and psychic effects. In this sense, the general tendency found in professors is that they are more mature and stable people, which, together with a good relationship with family and children, they have greater capacity to face personal problems and emotional conflicts (14)(15) .…”

“…Those who have more than one employment relationship, hourly, who receive between five and 10 minimum wages and took vacations in the last year are highlighted. In researches with university health professors, it was observed that the average working time in the health area was 120 months (SD=123.00 months) and 119 months working in the teaching area (SD=117.00 months) (15) .…”

“…In addition, the accumulation of work bonds and alternating shifts are aspects that contribute to the overload of work, with activities that include: preparing and giving classes, giving extra attention to students, preparing and correcting tests, producing and publishing articles research, guide students, among others. This contributes to the development of physical and emotional symptoms of occupational stress, with a greater risk of the teacher becoming sick (15) .…”