Anxiety generating situations among nurses and strategies to control it: preliminary study

Abstract

The purposes of this study were: to identify situations that are considered sources of anxiety in nurse's daily activities and to identify the conscious strategies these nurses use in order to lower the level of anxiety. The sample was composed of 54 nurses from a larger general teaching hospital that answered a questionnaire with open and closed questions. The answers pointed situations, both quotidian and unsuspected, that generate anxiety in the following areas: direct care, management and teaching. Nurses also pointed the activities they usually do in order to cope with stress, during the crisis or in their quotidian life. Findings demonstrate that even though the nurses are exposed to stressing situations that generate anxiety, they also use adequate coping strategies. We observe that more studies are needed, in order to propose new alternatives to improve nurses' quality of life.