| Summary: | Extensive depth interviews and self-completion questionnaires
were used to assess subjective stress experience and issues
relating to coping in samples of psychiatric nurses and prison
service workers.
Psychiatric nurses working within a psychiatric hospital due
for closure had particular problems with stress relating to
staff shortages, support from senior managers, and obtaining
day-to-day resources. Four stress factors were elicited, the
more important being related to staff shortages and support,
and disputes. Enrolled Nurses and Staff Nurses, and nurses
working within Continuing Care wards experienced the greatest
problems with occupational stress in general. Comparative
intra-role conflict and type A orientations to work were
predictive of greater problems with occupational stress.
Occupational stress was also a particular problem for dual
careerists and nurses experiencing inter-role conflict. Low
job satisfaction was related to greater problems with
occupational stress.
Prison service workers within a custodial establishment
undergoing significant organisational change had particular
problems with stress relating to paperwork systems, setting
priorities, feelings of lack of appreciation from supervisors,
inadequate feedback, and noise. Six stress factors were
elicited, the more important being definition of work role,
inmates, and setting priorities. Probation Officers
experienced the greatest problems with occupational stress in
general and the lowest levels of general psychological wellbeing
as measured by a modified version of GHQ-12. Around one
third of the sample experienced negative effects of stress in
some area of their lives. Low job satisfaction was related to
greater problems with occupational stress, and was predictive
of low morale. Various factors regarding stress-related issues
were assessed in terms of their predictive utility in
determining basic grade prison officers' intentions to seek
transfers and potential for leaving the service.
The efficacy of presently used coping strategies and
preferences for organisational coping resources were assessed
for the two samples. Stress associated with role-related
issues and significant events in the workplace are discussed.
A model of stress is provided to account for stress in work
settings - 'Stress in the workplace' - which defines stress in
terms of ineffective coping with psychological demands.
A variety of individual and organisational stress management /
reduction strategies are reviewed. A general organisational
framework for addressing stress in the workplace is provided
in appended form.
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