Abstract

ESCRIBA-AGUIR, Vicenta  and  BURGUETE-RAMOS, Dolores. How do organ transplantes nursing staff preceive the causes of the job stress?. Index Enferm [online]. 2005, vol.14, n.50, pp.15-19. ISSN 1699-5988.

Objective: To determine the workplace stress factors perceived by the nurses, both male and female, who work in those areas of the hospital concerned with organ transplants and the sources of professional job satisfaction. Methods: Qualitative study, carried out with six discussion groups (64 participants in all) of male and female nurses, who work in different Spanish state run hospitals. Their conversations were recorded and then transcribed, and an analysis of the discourse was undertaken. Results: The main stress factors which were identified relate to: work overload and the time pressures, contact with death and suffering, a lack of support from colleagues and other health professionals, and the problems of inter-relationship with patients and their relatives. Likewise there is clearly a lack of sufficient information to be able to respond to the questions posed by the patients and family members as to their clinical state and their prognosis. Another stress factor is the lack of specific information relating to the characteristics of necessary care for the patient pre and post transplant. The principal source of professional job satisfaction is the thanks for the care which has been afforded to them, from patients and their families. Conclusion: The hospital nursing staff is subjected to a large number of stress factors in the course of its work, the majority of which are intrinsic to its profession.