Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Nursing

Advisor

Carolyn Sipes

Abstract

AbstractNurses who work in the critical care unit are more likely to experience work-related stress, fatigue, understaffing, undesirable performance outcomes, and compromised workplace safety than general care nurses. Nurse managers in these units possess insights into nurses' stress-inducing challenges, in addition to managerial and administrative perspectives. Yet there is a lack of available knowledge about the experiences of critical care nurse managers in addressing nurses' work-related stress. The purpose of this study was to explore critical care nurse managers’ experiences of potential strategies to effectively address work-related stress among nurses. The job-demand resource model was the theoretical framework for the study. A qualitative phenomenological design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select 13 critical care nurse managers from health care facilities in the U.S. Midwest. Data were gathered by conducting interviews. Thematic analysis of interview data yielded four themes: Job demand, physical resources, mental resources, and emotional resources. Seven subthemes were identified: Prevalence of problem, influence of stressors, self-care practices, social support, journaling, stress management and resilience training, and healthy work environment. The study's implications for positive social change include the identification strategies that nursing leaders can apply to mitigate work-related stress among critical care nurses, which may bolster these health care providers' physical and mental wellness and ability to deliver quality care to patients.

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