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The Role of Medical Specialization on Posttraumatic Symptoms in Pediatric Nurses
Elizabeth Park1, Rika M L Meyer2, Jeffrey I Gold3
1The Saban Research Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, United States of America.
Insights
Pediatric nurses in ICU and Hematology/Oncology units face higher risks for developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Unit assignment significantly impacts PTSD symptom severity, necessitating targeted interventions for at-risk nurses.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Psychiatry
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Repeated exposure to secondary trauma is a risk factor for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- Pediatric nurses are vulnerable to secondary trauma due to their work environment.
- Understanding PTSD symptom prevalence in pediatric nurses is crucial for developing support systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between medical specialization and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in pediatric nurses.
- To compare PTSD symptom development across different nursing units.
- To identify specific units with higher PTSD symptom prevalence.
Main Methods:
- 182 pediatric nurses completed the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year.
- Demographic characteristics and prior healthcare experience were analyzed.
- Differences in PTSD symptoms were compared based on unit assignment (ICU, Hematology/Oncology, rehabilitation, medical/surgical).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in PTSD categories were found based on demographics or prior healthcare experience.
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Hematology/Oncology nurses showed higher risks for partial and full PTSD, respectively.
- Nurses in rehabilitation units reported more re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal symptoms compared to medical/surgical and ICU nurses.
Conclusions:
- Hospitals must investigate reasons for increased PTSD symptoms in specific units.
- Routine screening for PTSD symptoms and mental health concerns is recommended for nurses.
- Unit-specific prevention and intervention programs are needed to mitigate burnout and job dissatisfaction.
Purpose:
Comparison of medical specialization of repeated exposure to secondary trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in pediatric nurses was examined.
Design And Methods:
The PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) was administered to 182 nurses over their first year on the job at a pediatric hospital (three time-points: baseline, 3 month follow-up, and 1 year follow-up). Demographic characteristics (age groups, gender, education, and race) and previous healthcare experience on whether nurses met criteria for no, partial, or full PTSD across all three time-points was examined. Differences in unit assignment on total PTSD symptoms and symptoms of each criterion of PTSD (re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal) were also examined.
Results:
No significant differences of both demographic characteristics and previous healthcare experience were found on these PTSD categories. However, both ICU and Hematology/Oncology units were more at risk for developing partial and full PTSD, respectively compared to other units. Nurses in the rehabilitation units had significantly higher re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal symptoms than those assigned to medical/surgical and intensive care units.
Conclusions:
Results demonstrate a need for hospitals to assess why nurses from certain units are reporting more PTSD symptoms and screen for PTSD symptoms and other mental health concerns throughout their career.
Practice Implications:
Being aware of which units may be more at-risk should inform unit-specific prevention and intervention programs to decrease negative outcomes, including burnout, compassion fatigue, and job dissatisfaction.
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