Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth in Labor and Delivery Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Traumatic births can be highly stressful for labor and delivery nurses.
• Understanding the psychological impact on nurses is crucial for their well-being and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate vicarious posttraumatic growth in labor and delivery nurses.
• To explore positive changes experienced by nurses after caring for women during traumatic births.

Main Methods:

• Convergent parallel mixed-methods design.
• Quantitative data collected via Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and Core Beliefs Inventory.
• Qualitative data gathered through open-ended questions on positive life changes.

Main Results:

• Labor and delivery nurses reported moderate vicarious posttraumatic growth.
• Appreciation of Life and Relating to Others were the most significant growth dimensions.
• Qualitative data supported Relating to Others as a frequently described growth area.

Conclusions:

• Labor and delivery nurses experience vicarious posttraumatic growth, with levels comparable to other clinicians.
• Awareness of this growth potential can help nurses cope with stress, reduce burnout, and improve retention.
• The findings highlight the resilience of nurses in high-stress obstetric environments.