Stress amongst district nurses: a preliminary investigation

This paper presents the results of a pilot study investigating stress among district nurses in the north-west of England. Nurses completed questionnaires covering job satisfaction, mental health, stress, Type A behaviour, health behavior, coping skills and demographic details. A specific measure of stress was developed following in-depth interviews with primary care professionals, including district nurses. A total of 79 district nurses took part in the study. The major sources of stress isolated by the district nurses related to: time pressure, administrative responsibility, having too much to do, factors not under their control, interruptions, keeping up with National Health Service (NHS) changes, and lack of resources. Factor analysis of stress questionnaire responses identified five major factors: demands of the job and lack of communication, working environment, problems with patients, work/home interface and social life, and career development. The highest levels of satisfaction were reported for the amount of variety in their job and the lowest level of job satisfaction was reported for chance of promotion. The results revealed that the mental wellbeing of the nurses was higher than that of the other population groups. Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed three major stressors that were predictive of high levels of job dissatisfaction: demands of the job and lack of communication, working environment, and career development. The implications of the findings for further research are considered.