Support Needs of Labor and Delivery Nurses After Traumatic Experiences

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Occupational Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Labor and delivery nurses frequently encounter traumatic workplace events.
• Existing institutional support services often fall short of meeting nurses' needs following these events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of psychological distress, overall distress, and institutional support on absenteeism, turnover intention, and resilience in labor and delivery nurses after traumatic workplace events.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey was distributed to 171 labor and delivery nurses nationwide.
• Data were collected using the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool-Revised and the Second Victim Support Desirability survey.
• Multiple regression analyses examined the relationship between distress, support, and outcomes like absenteeism, turnover, and resilience.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported experiencing traumatic events such as neonatal/maternal death and workplace violence.
• Psychological distress and lack of institutional support correlated with increased absenteeism and turnover intention.
• Institutional support was the sole predictor of resilience.

Conclusions:

• Traumatic workplace events are common for labor and delivery nurses, and current support systems are inadequate.
• Further research is crucial to identify effective support strategies and best practices for this vulnerable nursing population.