Analysing Preoperative Nurses Stress

The present dissertation will focus on analysing the knowledge for practice and is a reflective account of preoperative nurses’ stress. Here, I was a nurse who used to enjoy working in operations room especially with public hospital. All the surgical members work together as a team within the hospital. In the previous hospital, I was responsible as a team leader for the cardiothoracic surgery. My major work was to ensure that operation goes smoothly followed by imparting of training to new staffs. I found presence of team spirit here team members worked as a team and respected the opinions of each other.

Personal theory

While working in the or with the ministry of health as a nurse I enjoyed my work as well as the responsibilities that were associated with it. The entire surgical staff worked together as a team. But as I started working in a private hospital as a senior staff nurse I began observing the behaviour of nursing staff more closely. Here, I found out that there was a presence of preoperative nurse’s stress in most of the staff members. The stressful situations have been observed by me while i was working in public hospital but these factors are much more pronounced in a private hospital setting.

Reflective

The model selected for reflection happens to be Gibbs reflective framework. It can be regarded as a circular process by which study is done on how thoughts affect the actions and the situation which is being dealt by us (Thomas, 2008). It has got a capacity to reflect on action of nurses so as to make them engage in a continuous process of learning.

Reflexivity

The given research study is ought to have deeper implications in the future. It would aid in lowering the present level of work related stress so that nurses are able to cope up with decreased work performance and deal with compromises made in issues related to patient safety. It will further aid towards formulation of best coping strategies so that nurses can reduce their overall level of stress.

Background Issues

Impact of preoperative stress on nurses

Stress is considered to be an adverse reaction that is given by people to excessive pressure or other types of demands that are placed on them. Work related stress has been reported to be the major problem for the European workforce. As per the interim report of Boorman Review, stress is widespread in the NHS.

Systemic Stress: Selye’s theory

Given by endocrinologist Hans Selye, Systemic Theory is based on observations made by him. According to his observations there are a variety of stimulus events which when applied intensely and long enough, produced common effects. The theory discusses General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) according to which response pattern consist of three stages (Resick, 2014).

Psychological Stress: Lazarus' Theory

As per this theory, the effects that stress has on an individual are determined to a greater extent by the feelings that the concerned person has of threat, vulnerability and ability to cope as compared to the stressful event itself (Aziz pour and et.al. 2013). As per this theory, a person perceives threat based on the relationship between himself as well as the environment that he appraises as taxing or exceeding his resources or posing danger to his well being (Ye, 2008).

Impact of preoperative stress on nursing performance

As such, stress faced by the nurses impacts their performance as well as the work of the hospital. According to Clews, across 17 NHS trusts, around 30, 000 of staff works that faces stress and associated psychiatric problems. In 2008, these problems accounted for a loss of about 15 per cent of all days due to sickness absence (Clews, 2009). Stress makes the preoperative nurses to be absent from the work almost four times as compared to other occupations.

Impact of preoperative stress on hospital

The consequences of negative stress can be examined in terms of the impacts that these have on the nurses, their family as well as social groups and in terms of the impacts on the organization. Likewise, as a senior staff nurse in the surgical ward of a private hospital, stress impacts my work as well as that of the organization. Stress has many psychological impacts on the nurses. According to the views of Oddie and Ousley, with high levels of occupational anxiety there are experienced low level of self reported health and well being (Oddie and Ousley, 2007).

behavioral impacts of preoperative stress on nurses

Apart from that, there are various behavioral impacts of stress on the nurses. As per the views of Baba and et.al., behavioral manifestations of stress result in deterioration of work performance (Baba and et.al., 2013). It is as a result of stress that nurses become withdrawn and do not want to socialize.

Coping strategies of prroperative stress

Strategies for coping with stress are based on identification of the causes as well as consequences of stress. These strategies are classified differently. Broadly, there are two categories in which the strategies for coping with stress fall (Gholamzadeh, Sharif and Rad, 2011). First strategy is action oriented which is concerned with dealing with the sources of stress in a positive manner. This involves setting of priorities and considering important tasks first.

Managing preoperative stress with problem solving strategy

According to Pattie, planned problem solving strategy helps in coming to creative solutions for managing stress (Pattie, 2006). It is the process with the help of which stressors are identified. Following this, approaches for managing those stressors can be created. Hence, this serves to be a powerful tool for addressing the anxiety, stress and pressure that the other nurses of the surgical ward experience.

Positive reappraisal strategy for managing preoperative stress

This describes the efforts that are directed towards creation of positive meaning by focusing on personal growth. As per the views of Mosadeghrad, it is reframing of the situation so that it can be seen in positive light (Mosadeghrad, 2014). This positive appraisal has independent associations with the increase in positive effect. In this regard, the nursing staff should focus on the most positive aspects of the situation.

Nature Of Reflection

Reflection as a process and concept

The act of reflection is all about making sense of what has been learnt and how that particular process of learning has taken place. It further entails for linking increment of learning. Reflection as a process helps a researcher in increasing awareness of oneself as a learner and to find that a person can direct as well as change the overall process of learning (Christie and Kirkwood, 2006).

Further Discussion And Implications For Practice

On the basis of the issues that were identified in above mentioned sections, varied kinds of implications have been derived for practice. These can be discussed at three basic levels being me as a senior nurse, the surgical department of my hospital as well as at the policy level.

Implications for me as a senior nurse

The research is likely to benefit me as I have been appointed as a senior nurse in a private hospital. With the help of the given refection, I have identified as to why there is presence of high level of stress in private hospitals as compared to public one followed by the reasons behind the same.

Implications for the surgical department

The giving reflective is likely to bring a improvement in the overall working carried out by surgical department as well. The reflection can help in bringing changes in overall process by which a surgery is being conducted.

Conclusion

Psychological stress in case of preoperative nursing has been found to be a very complex process and has been found to produce detrimental consequences. The reflective account has thus revealed towards a presence of significant relation between nursing workload, environment towards stress (Aziz pour and et.al. 2013). This has a tendency to affect the quality of care followed by an ultimate loss to the profession.

References

• Aghilinejad, M., and et.al., 2009. Comparing stress level of woman nurses of different units of Iran university hospitals in autumn. HBI Journal.
• Azizpour, Y., and et.al., 2013. A Survey on the Associated Factors of Stress among Operating Room Personnel. Thrita.
• Baba, V. V. and et.al., 2013. Stress among nurses: a multi-nation test of the demand-control-support model. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal. 20(3). pp.301-320.
• Bolton, G., 2010. Reflective Practice, Writing and Professional Development. 3rd ed. California: SAGE publications
• Boniface, G., 2002. Understanding Reflective Practice in Occupational Therapy. British Journal of Therapy & Rehabilitation.

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