A departmental stress management plan

To reduce stress, most people and organizations need to improve their skills in recognizing and coping with stressors. Department plans like the one described provide a good method of understanding and learning to cope with specific stressors. Researchers analyzed the effects of a stress management plan for registered nurses in an acute care hospital. This plan, called stress inoculation, began with education on stress and coping skills. The nurses were then exposed to the real-life stressors and expected to use the newly learned coping skills. Later, the nurses were asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the coping skills. The results of the study showed that the nurses' stress was reduced through stress management and that coping skills were the key ingredient. Education was needed to teach the coping skills, but by itself, education showed no benefit. If supervisors and employees remain committed to the departmental stress management plan throughout the six phases, the likelihood of reducing stress, improving morale, and increasing productivity is high.