[Stress in the hospital--stresses on nurses and physicians]

A questionnaire study was carried out with 891 physicians and nurses working in 54 different hospitals. The objectives were to assess the main stress situations at work and to find out, under which conditions the stress occurs. The results show that the most important stress situations concern the environmental working conditions and the identification with the patient. Physical complaints of the nurses and physicians exceed the scores of a matched norm sample. The main stress conditions are a low level of professional experience, working hours, working in rotating shifts and having to care for a great proportion of terminally ill patients. About 16% of the nurses and 9% of the physicians have to be considered severely distressed. The results shall serve a basis for providing support programs.