Stress in the emergency department clerical staff

Clerical staff are vital for the effective management of the emergency department. A survey of emergency department clerks was conducted to determine the prevalence and types of stress in their jobs. Forty-six of fifty surveys were completed and returned. Seventy-six percent of the respondents rated their job in the "extremely stressful" range. Stress was a factor responsible for job absenteeism in 24% of the respondents. Most agreed that physician education is necessary.