VARIATIONS IN JOB STRAIN ACROSS NURSING AND SOCIAL-WORK SPECIALTIES

This paper describes and compares the sources of job strain experience d by staff in different nursing and social work specialties, using mea sures developed to assess job quality in these occupations. Data come from a random sample of 285 women employed as protective (child abuse) social workers, psychiatric social workers, medical social workers an d social workers working in social service agencies, in schools, with the elderly or as licensed practical nurses working in hospitals or nu rsing homes. These occupational specialties vary in their level of ove rload, decision authority, challenge and helping others. These variati ons are associated with variations by specialty in worker health. Spec ifically, protective social workers reported significantly greater job strain and significantly greater psychological distress. School, medi cal, psychiatric and social service social workers reported the best j ob conditions and significantly better physical health and lower level s of psychological distress.