Work-Related Stress Expression and Preventive Methods Used by Lithuanian and Brazilian Nurses

Abstract

Relevance of study: Work-related stress among health professionals and health care staff, especially nurses, is very common. Due to the specific nature of nursing profession, which requires high-skills, team-working, 24-hour care and great emotional stability, nurses are faced with a variety of stressors involving their everyday work. Other factors, such as communication with physicians and other nurses, communication with patients and their relatives, long working hours, high workload, low salary, working on holidays also cause work-related stress for nurses. All these factors can lead to harmful consequences such as reduced productivity and commitment to work and patients, reduced quality of patient care, decreased job satisfaction, mistakes making that can even lead to patients’ deaths. This is especially true for nurses who work with geriatric patients, who suffer more frequently from stress, as their work involves patients in critical condition and this requires more attention from nurses, besides having to lead with the death of a number of these patents. Aim of study: Is to reveal work-related stress expression and preventive methods used by Lithuanian and Brazilian nurses. The objectives are: To analyze the scientific literature about factors causing work-related stress among nurses; To compare the expression of work-related stress among Lithuanian and Brazilian nurses; To compare the preventive methods used by Lithuanian and Brazilian nurses in professional life; To compare the preventive methods used by Lithuanian and Brazilian nurses in daily life. Method: Quantitative method used for 35 Lithuanian and 35 Brazilian nurses working in geriatrics department and nursing houses. Stress scale used as an instrument. Conclusion: Work-related stress is a worldwide problem, as it is caused by various factors such as lack of recognition, workload, low salary and others. Continued, persistent stress may lead to burnout. Brazilian nurses have higher percentage of suffering from work-related stress than Lithuanian nurses. Most of Brazilian nurses use meditation and exercise to reduce work-related stress, while only a low percentage of Lithuanian nurses use these alternatives to reduce workrelated stress. Lithuanian nurses use group activities to reduce work-related stress in work environment more often than other activities while Brazilian nurses use relaxation classes more often than other activities.