The complex environment of an intensive care unit is associated with a considerable amount of stress. Intensive care nurses are confronted daily with increasing work demands, emanating from the growing numbers of critically-ill patients; the introduction of highly sophisticated technologies in the intensive care environment; increasing competition between health care institutions; increased work loads; and limited career opportunities caused by, among other things, budget cuts by the government (Janssen, De Jonge & Bakker, 1999:1360). Research has shown that such stressors can result in mental, physical and behavioural stress reactions among nurses (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner and Schaufeli, 2000:454). The objective of this study is to explore and describe registered nurses’ perceptions of factors causing stress in intensive care environments of state hospitals. The main purpose of the study is to develop guidelines for a stress management programme, to assist registered nurses to cope with the stressors in an intensive care environment. The research design is placed within a quantitative, explorative and descriptive contextual framework. Validity and reliability in testing and evaluating the research questionnaire are discussed, as well as the ethical and legal considerations relating to this research study. Findings of the research study will be utilized to assist the researcher in developing guidelines for a stress management programme to assist registered nurses in coping with stress in an intensive care environment
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:10044 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Beau, S P |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MCur |
| Format | viii, 96 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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