Secondary Traumatic Stress in NICU Nurses: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Secondary traumatic stress is a known occupational hazard for healthcare providers.
• Previous research has identified this stress in various nursing specialties.
• No studies had specifically focused on neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses prior to this research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and severity of secondary traumatic stress among NICU nurses.
• To qualitatively explore the traumatic experiences of NICU nurses caring for critically ill infants.

Main Methods:

• A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed.
• Neonatal nurses completed the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS) and provided qualitative descriptions of their experiences.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, and qualitative data underwent content analysis.

Main Results:

• Out of 175 NICU nurses surveyed, 49% reported moderate to severe secondary traumatic stress.
• Qualitative analysis identified five distinct themes describing nurses' traumatic experiences.
• The findings underscore the significant psychological impact of caring for critically ill infants.

Conclusions:

• NICU nurses require education on recognizing the signs of secondary traumatic stress.
• Implementing support systems and coping strategies is crucial for NICU nurses.
• Further research with improved response rates is recommended to enhance the generalizability of findings.