Stress in nurses: coping, managerial support and work demand

One hundred and six ward-based nurses of 340 approached completed questionn aires measuring sources of stress within their work, the managerial support available to them, the strategies they used to cope with work stress and l evels of anxiety, depression, and work satisfaction. Univariate analysis id entified consistent relationships between work stress and each of these out comes. Lack of managerial support was also associated both with negative mo od states and, particularly, with low levels of work satisfaction. Multivar iate analyses showed the key predictors of negative affect to be lack of ma nagement support, job overspill, having to make decisions under time pressu re and lack of recognition by the organisation. These data fit well in the existing models of work stress, and their implications for organisational c hange are discussed. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.