The Effect Stressful and Conflictual Healthcare Environment in Nurses' Burnout: Experiences from Iranian Nurses Working in Psychiatric Wards
Fatemeh Ghavidel, Shahram Molavynejad, Masoud Fallahi-Khoshknab, Kouroshzarea
1320
ABSTRACT
Background: Nurses in the psychiatric ward experience a wide
range of stresses due to their nature, which leads to burnout, given that very
little research has been done in this regard in Iran.
Aim: To explore nurses'
experiences of the stressful work environment in psychiatric wards.
Methods: This
qualitative content analysis study was carried out in 2017-2018 in a
psychiatric hospital in Ahvaz and Tehran, Iran. A total of 15 nurses working in psychiatric wards were chosen purposefully. To collect the data, unstructured interviews
were conducted.For the data analysis, an inductive content analysis approach
was used.
Results: The main finding of this study was the theme of a stressful healthcare
environment that involved three categories of faulty workplace relations, Exposure to occupational stress, and Exposure
to workplace violence.
Conclusion: Based on the nurses' lived experiences of understanding the stresses of
the psychiatric ward, it can be said that workplace stressors reduce motivation,
leave their workplace and finally lead to the physical and mental burnout of
nurses. Therefore, nursing management should identify stresses appropriately
and make individual plans to improve the quality of nurses' environment to
prevent burnout of nurses.
Keywords: Workplace, stress, nurses, burnout, psychiatric
ward
ABSTRACT
Background: Nurses in the psychiatric ward experience a wide
range of stresses due to their nature, which leads to burnout, given that very
little research has been done in this regard in Iran.
Aim: To explore nurses'
experiences of the stressful work environment in psychiatric wards.
Methods: This
qualitative content analysis study was carried out in 2017-2018 in a
psychiatric hospital in Ahvaz and Tehran, Iran. A total of 15 nurses working in psychiatric wards were chosen purposefully. To collect the data, unstructured interviews
were conducted.For the data analysis, an inductive content analysis approach
was used.
Results: The main finding of this study was the theme of a stressful healthcare
environment that involved three categories of faulty workplace relations, Exposure to occupational stress, and Exposure
to workplace violence.
Conclusion: Based on the nurses' lived experiences of understanding the stresses of
the psychiatric ward, it can be said that workplace stressors reduce motivation,
leave their workplace and finally lead to the physical and mental burnout of
nurses. Therefore, nursing management should identify stresses appropriately
and make individual plans to improve the quality of nurses' environment to
prevent burnout of nurses.
Keywords: Workplace, stress, nurses, burnout, psychiatric
ward