Occupational stress in hospital settings: Review of coping strategies of nursing professionals

Abstract

Background: The nursing work process might contribute to the development of occupational stress, as it demands considerable attention and responsibility. Workers have resource to strategies to cope with stressors in the workplace. Coping strategies are ways to manage stress and minimize the effects of stressors to preserve the physical and emotional well-being. Objective: To identify through a literature review the strategies to cope with occupational stress adopted by hospital nursing professionals. Method: A literature search was conducted in databases Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) and Nursing Database (BDENF) via Virtual Health Library (VHL) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). Results: Twenty-five studies were selected, 14 with quantitative, 9 with qualitative, and 2 with quantitative–qualitative approach. The located coping strategies were categorized according to the Coping with Job Stress (CJS) scale which classifies ways to cope with problems in the workplace under three categories: control, escape and symptom management. On these grounds, our literature review identified 4 control, 8 escape and 7 symptom management strategies. Conclusions: Control strategies were considered efficacious to manage stress.