How Do the Nurses Cope with Job Stress? A Study with Grounded Theory Approach

Introduction: Due to the adverse effects of job stress on health of nurses and the importance of coping process of nurses in management of job stress, the present study was carried out with the aim of exploring the experiences of the nurses in order to reveal the original coping process of the nurses in the case of encountering occupational stress. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with grounded theory approach. Research participants were 15 clinical nurses and four directors of nursing. Sampling method of study were purposive and theoretical sampling. Data collection done with unstructured interviews and field notes and continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed using the Strauss and Corbin 1998 constant comparative method. Results: The results of the analysis led to four axial concepts: "feeling stress at nursing work", "situational coping", "and the effect of personal and environmental factors in coping with job stress" and "Grey outcome of coping". The core variable in the nurse’s process of coping with job stress was "comprehensive effort to calm stressed condition". Conclusion: Explaining the basic and original psychosocial process of nurses to cope with job stress, revealed context-based nature of the coping processes that nurses adopt, which that can help in taking appropriate measures to lighten up the grey consequences of coping of nurses.