Abstract

Stress bears a negative effect on nurses’ lives and work which includes relationships, such as family life and social relationship. This is because nurses spend more time by the patients and in the healthcare setting than any other healthcare professional. This study examined the stress related factors among nurses working in Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department of one the federal hospitals in South-south Nigeria. The study had four (4) specific objectives and four (4) hypotheses. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Convenient sampling technique was used to recruit fifty-seven (57) nurses who are currently working or have worked in the A&E unit of the hospital. Data collection was with structured questionnaire aided by two research assistants. Permission was obtained from the ethics committee of the hospital. Findings revealed that 49 (86%) do not observe break during their shift and a further 50 (88%) go home completely exhausted. 54 (95%) of the respondents viewed that the workload in A & E is enormous. Staff shortage accounted for 56 (98.5%) of stressors. 47 (83%) of the perception of stressors from respondents are due to problems in interaction with the administration. The study identified various coping mechanisms nurses adopt to combat stressful shifts. Findings reveals that friends 49 (86%), work associates 54 (92.5%), faith 55 (96.5/%) and personal time alone 56 (98.5%) were sources of coping with the stress. The test of hypothesis showed that positive calculated r-value is greater than the critical r-value of 0.269 at 0.05 alpha level with 55 degree of freedom. Thus, there is a significant relationship between stress-related factors and stress among nurses. Conclusion was based on the findings of this study which was recommended amongst others that hospitals should provide a counsellor through employee assistance programs to help nurses during burnout.

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