High pressure areas

The study highlighted the extent of occupational distress in a group of nurses in an NHS hospital trust. The levels of distress were similar across settings and similar to levels identified in current NHS-wide studies. Levels of work pressure and emotional exhaustion were higher than previous UK norms. High levels of distress were associated with younger age, high work pressure and low social support. For general mental well-being individual factors, such as satisfaction with social support, were more predictive than organisational factors. For work-specific distress, factors in the work environment, such as work pressure, patient contact and task orientation, were more important. Strategies for addressing the needs identified were reviewed and are now being implemented.