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Staff stress on an Alzheimer's unit
P R Mobily1, M L Maas, K C Buckwalter
1College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services
|September 1, 1992
Summary
Nursing home nurses face significant stress due to demanding jobs and exposure to patient pathology and death. This can lead to burnout, characterized by exhaustion and loss of purpose.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Nursing
- Occupational Health Psychology
Background:
- Nursing home environments present complex care challenges for staff.
- High-stress factors include patient pathology, death, and interpersonal conflicts.
- Overwhelming stress can lead to role conflict, low self-esteem, and burnout.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key stressors in nursing home environments.
- To understand the factors contributing to nurse burnout in geriatric care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of factors contributing to stress in nursing.
- Analysis of existing research on burnout in healthcare professionals.
Main Results:
- Nursing home work is labor- and client-intensive, increasing stress.
- Continuous exposure to physical/emotional pathology and death are significant stressors.
- Conflicts with families, colleagues, and other professionals exacerbate stress.
Conclusions:
- Burnout in nursing home staff is a progressive loss of idealism and energy.
- Emotional overextension and exhaustion are hallmarks of burnout.
- Addressing workplace stressors is crucial for preventing nurse burnout.