Registered Nurses’ Experience of Perceived Stressors Based on Specialty – A Comparison of Stressors’ Frequency and Impact Across Hospital Units

Abstract

While all nurses strive to provide the best nursing care to their patients regardless of unit or specialty, the overall experience of nurses can vary greatly depending on which patient population they are working with and the unique care of specific diagnoses. This study aimed to explore how nurses experience stressors differently depending on their specialty, specifically in terms of how frequently stressors and experienced and the impact these stressors have on them. A survey was created and electronically promoted to nurses through social media sources, such as Facebook. Demographic information was collected in addition to the frequency, impact, and duration of impact of various stressors that may be experienced in nursing practice were assessed. The results of this study suggest that nurses do report varying experiences with stressors relating to patient care and stressors relating to interactions with patients and their families. Additionally, there may be certain types of units that experience stressors at a greater frequency overall, such as the intensive care unit (ICU), or certain types that experience stressors at a lesser frequency overall, such as obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) and Maternity.