Secondary traumatic stress, perceived organizational support, and coping strategies among psychiatric nurses
https://doi.org/10.70228/YJHER2024028
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ABSTRACT
When psychiatric nurses care for traumatized patients, they are affected by the patient's traumatic experience and develop secondary trauma disorders, which affect individual health and quality of care. The objectives of this study were to characterize the current state of organizational support, coping strategies, and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among mental health nurses in Zhengzhou, China, and investigate the connections between these factors and STS. Psychiatric nurses, totaling 197, were employed to conduct the survey. The study used the Secondary Traumatic Stress subscale, the Nurse Work Index, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) to measure psychiatric nurses' secondary traumatic stress, organizational support, and coping strategies, respectively. The STS level of psychiatric nurses was at the medium level, but some were still at the high level. Those with more than 10 working years had higher STS levels. More than half of psychiatric nurses tended to adopt negative coping methods. Nurses with different coping styles had different STS levels. Active nurses had lower STS levels, and psychiatric nurses with higher organizational support adopted more active coping styles. Psychiatric nurses rated organizational support somewhat, but their participation in hospital affairs and human resource allocation scored the lowest. The STS situation of psychiatric nurses was not optimistic; therefore, hospital managers should pay attention to the mental health of psychiatric nurses, provide them with adequate organizational support, and improve their coping styles, especially those with high seniority and professional titles.
Keywords: secondary traumatic stress, organizational support, coping strategies, psychiatric nurse, management
Volume 12 Issue 1, 2024 EDITION
Published 2024
Editor's Note
We are delighted to present this new issue (Vol. 12 Issue 1) of the Journal of Higher Education Research, featuring contributions that explore critical topics in nursing education, professional practice, literacy development, educational leadership, and holistic care. Each study reflects the dedication of our authors to addressing the evolving challenges in these fields. Yaqi and Chua examine the impact of human resource challenges and professional quality of life among hospital nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering practical insights to improve nurse well-being. Similarly, Peng and Diva investigate secondary traumatic stress among psychiatric nurses, highlighting the role of organizational support and coping strategies in fostering resilience in high-pressure environments, especially those with high seniority and professional titles. Su and Lachica investigate subhealth determinants among Chinese nursing graduate students, highlighting the significant impact of lifestyle choices and stress management on their well-being. Meanwhile, Zhang and Dolendo examine the academic performance of nursing students engaged in online practice, offering valuable recommendations for enhancing virtual learning in healthcare education. Flipped classrooms are gaining traction as an innovative educational approach, and the work of Zhou and Young identifies factors and strategies influencing the implementation of the flipped classroom model within nursing education reform. Ma and Garcia, meanwhile, take us into the clinical learning landscape through a qualitative study that explores nursing students’ lived experiences, shedding light on their struggles, aspirations, and transformative journeys. Beyond the realm of nursing, this issue also features studies that broaden our understanding of educational practice and leadership. Amazona and Lizada explore public school teachers’ awareness and practices of Cura Personalis—the Jesuit principle of “care for the whole person”—as a basis for developing a “Nurturing the Nurturer” program. Lesondra and Leonor examine Project SCRIBE, a reading intervention grounded in the Language Experience Approach, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking among high school students. Finally, Katalbas and Ramos offer an inspiring narrative inquiry into the journey of a novice principal, revealing the importance of resilience, empathy, and stakeholder trust in shaping effective school leadership. We extend our deepest gratitude to the authors for their invaluable contributions and to our reviewers for their thoughtful and rigorous evaluations. Special thanks to the dedicated staff and Dr. Lota Largavista, Director of the Publication and Engagement Office, for their steadfast support in bringing this issue to fruition. We hope this issue inspires you to reflect on these critical insights, apply them to your practice, and continue advancing research and education in nursing and healthcare. Sincerely, JOVAL N. MARTINEZ Editor-in-Chief