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To many nurses, handling stress is one of the biggest challenges of the job. And if left unchecked, stress can have a big impact on your mental health.
Out of 100 nurses who completed a QNI survey about stress, only 3% said that ‘coping with death and disease’ and ‘dealing with patients and relatives’ caused them stress. For 76%, high workload is a factor; 40% cited meeting targets, 38% said lack of breaks and 32% said the working environment.
Asked what would help to reduce their stress, most talked about the way they were managed, and how they were treated at work. Fortunately, many of the nurses who responded had very good coping strategies, often involving physical exercise such as walking or dancing, or talking - to each other, to family or friends, or more formally through clinical supervision. These have all been shown to help people cope with stress.
QNI support
The QNI has put together a 'Stress Journal', which includes ideas and advice on coping with stress at work through a range of different strategies. It also includes tips for managers on how to reduce stress for their staff.
Nursing N° 1 Competition winner
We also offered a competition asking nurses to tell us how they handled stress at work. The first prize was a Champneys Spa Break for two worth over £400. The lucky winner was Fiona Mathieson, a community matron from Central Surrey. Click here if you would like to read her winning entry.
Other organisations that may be able to help are listed below:
Happy Nurses www.happynurses.co.uk
The Stress Management Society www.stress.org.uk
