What’s going on? How do New Zealand emergency nurses cope with the occupational stress that is associated working in the emergency department?

AIM The aim of this research is to determine what factors influence stress levels amongst emergency nurses in New Zealand. BACKGROUND International studies suggest that increased workloads, organisational culture and health determinants impact on the working environment for nurses in the emergency department. This position however, has not been fully studied within the New Zealand context. This thesis sought to identify some of those factors that contribute to the stress of nurses working in the emergency departments in New Zealand. RESEARCH DESIGN This study used a quantitative descriptive design using an online survey to gather information related to those factors contributing to work related stress of emergency nurses. The framework used for this study was based on Healy and Tyrell’s (2011) research conducted in Ireland, and also using a content analysis to collate the data into themes. PARTICIPANTS The research participants were nurses who were members of the College Emergency Nurses New Zealand (CENNZ). Distribution of the online survey was completed by CENNZ to maintain anonymity of the participants. RESULTS One hundred and seventy eight individuals completed the online questionnaire, with a response of 51.44% nurses who were members of the CENNZ. The data supported international research. CONCLUSION Factors that cause stress in the ED cannot be viewed in isolation. Issues such as the overcrowding, patient care, organisational dynamics and the imposition of national health targets all have a cumulative effect on stress levels amongst nurses. Mitigating the effects that these factors have is essential and requires further inquiry to formulate strategies that will assist in reducing the impact that these elements have on New Zealand emergency nurses.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Nursing

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Eastern Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Boyle, Jaki

• New Zealand
• emergency nurses
• emergency departments (EDs)
• workplace stress
• coping responses/solutions
• surveys

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10652/6426

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10652/6426