Nurses in abortion care: Identifying and managing stress

The psychological impact of abortion on the women undergoing the procedure is well researched, but little is known about the potential psychological impact on nurses working in abortion care. The proportion of medical abortions in the UK is rising compared to surgical abortions. A recent research study found that being more directly involved in the procedure places more emotional demands on the nurses. This emotional labour required by nurses working in abortion care may increase their stress levels. This paper examines the potential increase in stress in nurses caused by medical abortions. A model of stress comprising stressors, moderators and stress outcomes was used as a framework for this examination. Research on abortion and mental health nursing was applied to managing stress in abortion care; this included coping mechanisms, prevention and intervention strategies. This showed that stress, burnout and coping are important issues in abortion care. On this basis, recommendations for practice have been formulated to inform practice for nurses and managers in abortion care.