Coping Mechanism and Stress among Emergency Department Nurses after Unsuccessful Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving procedure that performed when patient’s heart stops beating. Unsuccessful resuscitation that causes death inflicted a strong emotions and feelings, also potentially developed into emotional stress for nurses. Indealingwithstress,each individual has different abilities dependon physical, psychological, behavioral or cognitive sources which called coping mechanisms. This study aimed to describe the coping mechanism and the stress level of nurses after the unsuccessful CPR, along with the relationship between those two variables. The research design used in this study was descriptive correlational with a total sample of 50 Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit nurses taken by convenient sampling technique from one public hospital in Cimahi. To answer the research question, critical care coping mechanisms questionnaire adapted from Mulyani & Litia were used to measured nurses coping mechanisms. Meanwhile, the stress level of nurses was measured using Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The data obtained described using frequency and percentages, while the relationship between nurses coping mechanism and the level of stress measured using Pearson’s correlation. The results showed that most 28 (56%) nurses had moderate stress levels, and most 29 (58%) nurses had adaptive coping mechanisms after unsuccessful CPR. Finally, there was a significant relationship between coping mechanism and the level of stress of emergencyandICUnursesafterunsuccessfulCPR(r=-0.348,P=0.013).Hospitals take holder expected to facilitate training and counseling regarding stress management and the use of adaptive coping mechanisms when nurses performedan unsuccessful CPR.