Stress and Coping Mechanism among Nurses in Palestinian Hospitals, A pilot study

Background: A survey of literature revealed that although a great deal of research has been carried out about stress and coping mechanisms internationally, little has been written about stress and coping mechanisms among nurses in Palestine. Objective: The objectives of this study were to identify the possible causes and frequency of stress experienced by Palestinian nurses working in governmental and non-governmental hospitals, and to assess the most common ways of coping mechanisms. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) and three subscales of Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC) were used to assess stress and coping mechanisms among Palestinian nurses. Results: Data revealed that nurses were stressed. According to NSS, the greatest perceived sources of stress appeared to be “workload” (mean=2.93) followed by “conflict with other nurses” (mean=2.63) and “emotional issues related to death and dying” (mean= 2.56). Nurses in non-governmental hospitals have significantly higher “conflict with other nurses” stress than those in governmental hospitals: 2.77 versus 2.55; (p=<0.01). Nurses with longer years of service have significantly higher “Uncertainty concerning treatment” stress than nurses with shorter years of service: 2.41 versus 2.2; (p=0.01). According to the ways of coping mechanism, nurses seemed to be resorting more to “confronting coping” (mean=2.41) while “escape avoidance” was the least coping strategy employed (mean=2. 04). Male nurses seem to resort significantly more to “confronting coping” than female nurses: 2.49 versus 2.29; (p=0.02). Nurses with long years of service seem to resort significantly more to “Distancing” than nurses with shorter years of service: 2.3 versus 2.17; (p=0.03). Conclusion: Stress among nurses is serious. Providing more nursing staff and decreasing non-nursing jobs might help to decrease nursing stress, according to coping mechanisms nurses seem to employ confronting coping strategy and this is not a healthy style some time, providing more coping strategy by mental health nurses via programs in the hospital will help nurses to choose the best coping strategy for each one.