Paper
Thursday, July 22, 2004
This presentation is part of : Quality of Life of Nurses
Hardiness and Feelings of Stress Among Nurses During Crisis Situations
Miri Fish, RN, MA, Nursing Administration, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel, Henia Peri, RN, MA, Nursing Administresion, Rabin Medical Center , Golda Campus, Petach -Tikva, Israel, and Tova Hendel, RN, PhD, Nursing Department, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Learning Objective #1: Identify two sources of distress among nursing staff, related to crisis situation
Learning Objective #2: Analyze the construct of hardiness
Hardiness and feelings of stress among nurses during crisis situations

Fish Miri, RN MA, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel. Peri Henia, RN MA, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel. Hendel Tova, RN PhD, Nursing Department, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Objectives

To investigate level of anxiety of nurses during the waiting period before the Iraq war, February 2003.

To investigate at what construct of hardiness were the nurses investigated.

Did a correlation exist between the nurses’ demographic data and there state of anxiety and hardiness?

Design Cross –sectional study

Sample /setting:

The study was performed in February 2003,in a large teaching medical center. 200 questionnaires were distributed 10 days before the expected beginning of the war.179 questionnaires returned back. (90%)

Variables

State anxiety Hardiness comprising the dimensions of commitment, control, and challenge. Demographic characteristics.

Method

A three-part questionnaire was used consisting of: A self-evaluation questionnaire, which measure state anxiety (Spielberger, 1972) The construct of hardiness as assessed by the third version of the hardiness scale (koobasa, 1990) Demographic characteristics.

Main findings

69%of the nurses expressed anxiety, 63% expressed tension and 79% were nervous. Tenure in profession, marital status, and full time / part time job were found significantly correlated with handiness and perceived feelings of distress.

Main Conclusions In spite of having experience with regional stressful situations the nurses reported a high level of anxiety and nervousness during the waiting period of the Iraq war.

Implications

Stress management intervention by nursing managers is needed. Communicating with staff and providing social support- informational and emotional –to buffer the stressful experience will help them cope with stressful situations.

Learner objectives: 1. The learner will be able to identify two sources of distress among nursing staff, related to crisis situation. 2. The learner will be able to analyze the construct of “ hardiness”.

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