A study to assess the level of stress among nurses with psychiatric patients at SMVMC&H, Puducherry

The Psychiatric service is a challenging task for nurses physically and psychologically. Psychiatric nurses are faced with factors such as long hours with patients, workplace control, and environmental pressure. Nurses working in closed ward setup are associated with perceived additional stress due to high levels of patient aggression, violence, unpredictability and danger to themselves or others. Coping mechanisms are constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage specific internal or external demands that are appraised as exceeding the resources of the person. They are categorized as problem-solving and emotionally-focused coping. The former is associated with techniques to minimize, redefine and solve external demands in order to reduce the effect of the stressor while the latter is associated with modifying the psychological reaction linked with stressors. Effective utilization of coping mechanisms interferes with the level of stress experienced. Work stress is a key issue that nurses have to manage in their work environment. There is a need for education and prevention of work stress in the psychiatric nurse population based on personal experience, observation of staff in the practice setting, and review of current literature. Psychiatric nurses are at risk of developing high levels of stress that affect their interpersonal relationships, job satisfaction, and quality of patient care. Nursing self-efficacy involves expectations of learning the knowledge base and performing the various skills necessary to become a registered nurse. Outcome beliefs relate to the expectation that this education leads to the status of being a member of the nursing profession .psychiatric nurses with high self-efficacy will be more confident in their work, so they will be more likely to make extraordinary achievements in their work. Statement of the Problem: A study to assess the level of stress and coping strategy among nurses with psychiatric patients at selected hospital, Puducherry. Objectives: • To assess the level of stress among nurses with psychiatric patients. • To associate the level of stress among nurses with psychiatric patients with their selected demographic variables. Methods: The investigator obtained formal permission from Hospital authority and Institutional Ethical Committee of Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital. The study was conducted at Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital, Madagadipet, Puducherry. The period of data collection was four weeks. Totally 30 nurses who are handling the psychiatric patients selected by using Convenient sampling technique. The purpose and benefits of the study were explained to the superintendent of Sri Manakula Vinayagar medical College and Hospital, Madagadipet, Pudhucherry. After obtaining oral consent primarily the demographic data was obtained from the samples.Investigator assessing the Perceived Stress Scale among the nurses working in Psychiatric ward. Data analysis was done using descriptive and statistical analysis. Major Findings of the Study: According to the age (in years) 13(43%) of them were belong to age group of 20- 30 years , 15(50%) of them were belong to 31-40 years and 02(07%) of them are belong to 41-50 years and according to sex 14(47%) of them were male and 16 (53%) of them were female and the table shows that education ,21 (70%) of them were B.sc nursing, 09 (30%) of them were M.sc Nursing them completed their graduation ; according to the religion ; 27 (90%),of them were belong to Hindu 02 (07%) of them are belong to Christian, 01(03%), of them are belong to Muslim and according to the year of course completion 13 (43%) year of 2001-2005, 15 (50%) year of 2006- 2010, 02 (07%) year of 2011-2020,the table shows that family income ; 12 (40%) of them were earning below Rs.5000/annum ,17 (57%) of them were earning Rs.7,000- 10,000/annum and 01 (03%) 0f them were earning more than Rs.10,0000/annum of them were nurses, and according to year of experience ; 02 (07%) , 27 (90%) , 01(03%) ,year of working period, and according to area of working to 11(37%) in psychiatric male ward , 08 (26%) working in psychiatric female ward, 11 (37%) working in Psychiatric patient in counselling room , according to marital status ; 20 (67%) of them were married,10 (33%) were unmarried and table shows that family 22(73%)were belongs to join family, 08 (27%) ere belongs to nuclear family. Conclusion: The study conducted among the 30 nurses who are handling the psychiatric patients by administering Perceived Stress Scale shows that the intervention helps in assess the level of stress and find to be one of the helpful interventions in the level of stress among nurses with Psychiatric Patient.