Stressors, Appraisal of Stressors, Experienced Stress and Cardiac Response: A Real-Time, Real-Life Investigation of Work Stress in Nurses

Derek  Johnston; Cheryl Bell; Martyn Jones; Barbara Farquharson; Julia Allan; Patricia Schofield; Ian Ricketts; Marie Johnston

doi:10.1007/s12160-015-9746-8

Stressors, Appraisal of Stressors, Experienced Stress and Cardiac Response: A Real-Time, Real-Life Investigation of Work Stress in Nurses

Derek Johnston (Lead / Corresponding author), Cheryl Bell, Martyn Jones, Barbara Farquharson, Julia Allan, Patricia Schofield, Ian Ricketts, Marie Johnston

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Abstract

Background: Stress in health care professionals may reflect both the work and appraisal of work and impacts on the individuals, their patients, colleagues and managers.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to examine physiological and psychological effects of stressors (tasks) and theory-based perceptions of work stressors within and between nurses in real time.

Methods: During two work shifts, 100 nurses rated experienced stress, affect, fatigue, theory-based measures of work stress and nursing tasks on electronic diaries every 90 min, whereas heart rate and activity were measured continuously.

Results: Heart rate was associated with both demand and effort. Experienced stress was related to demand, control, effort and reward. Effort and reward interacted as predicted (but only within people). Results were unchanged when allowance was made for work tasks.

Conclusions: Real-time appraisals were more important than actual tasks in predicting both psychological and physiological correlates of stress. At times when effort was high, perceived reward reduced stress.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	187-197
Number of pages	11
Journal	Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume	50
Issue number	2
Early online date	25 Nov 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9746-8
Publication status	Published - Apr 2016

Keywords

Demand-control model
EFFORT-REWARD IMBALANCE
Occupational stress
Heart rate
Ecological momentary assessment

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Jones, Martyn
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title = "Stressors, Appraisal of Stressors, Experienced Stress and Cardiac Response: A Real-Time, Real-Life Investigation of Work Stress in Nurses",

abstract = "Background: Stress in health care professionals may reflect both the work and appraisal of work and impacts on the individuals, their patients, colleagues and managers.Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to examine physiological and psychological effects of stressors (tasks) and theory-based perceptions of work stressors within and between nurses in real time.Methods: During two work shifts, 100 nurses rated experienced stress, affect, fatigue, theory-based measures of work stress and nursing tasks on electronic diaries every 90 min, whereas heart rate and activity were measured continuously.Results: Heart rate was associated with both demand and effort. Experienced stress was related to demand, control, effort and reward. Effort and reward interacted as predicted (but only within people). Results were unchanged when allowance was made for work tasks.Conclusions: Real-time appraisals were more important than actual tasks in predicting both psychological and physiological correlates of stress. At times when effort was high, perceived reward reduced stress.",

keywords = "Demand-control model, EFFORT-REWARD IMBALANCE, Occupational stress, Heart rate, Ecological momentary assessment",

author = "Derek Johnston and Cheryl Bell and Martyn Jones and Barbara Farquharson and Julia Allan and Patricia Schofield and Ian Ricketts and Marie Johnston",

note = "This research was supported by the Chief Scientists Office of the Scottish Government, Principal Investigator Marie Johnston, Grant Number CZH/4/640. All correspondence to Derek Johnston, School of Psychology, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Kings College, Old Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX.",

year = "2016",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s12160-015-9746-8",

language = "English",

volume = "50",

pages = "187--197",

journal = "Annals of Behavioral Medicine",

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T2 - A Real-Time, Real-Life Investigation of Work Stress in Nurses

AU - Johnston, Derek

AU - Bell, Cheryl

AU - Jones, Martyn

AU - Farquharson, Barbara

AU - Allan, Julia

AU - Schofield, Patricia

AU - Ricketts, Ian

AU - Johnston, Marie

N1 - This research was supported by the Chief Scientists Office of the Scottish Government, Principal Investigator Marie Johnston, Grant Number CZH/4/640. All correspondence to Derek Johnston, School of Psychology, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Kings College, Old Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX.

PY - 2016/4

Y1 - 2016/4

N2 - Background: Stress in health care professionals may reflect both the work and appraisal of work and impacts on the individuals, their patients, colleagues and managers.Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to examine physiological and psychological effects of stressors (tasks) and theory-based perceptions of work stressors within and between nurses in real time.Methods: During two work shifts, 100 nurses rated experienced stress, affect, fatigue, theory-based measures of work stress and nursing tasks on electronic diaries every 90 min, whereas heart rate and activity were measured continuously.Results: Heart rate was associated with both demand and effort. Experienced stress was related to demand, control, effort and reward. Effort and reward interacted as predicted (but only within people). Results were unchanged when allowance was made for work tasks.Conclusions: Real-time appraisals were more important than actual tasks in predicting both psychological and physiological correlates of stress. At times when effort was high, perceived reward reduced stress.

AB - Background: Stress in health care professionals may reflect both the work and appraisal of work and impacts on the individuals, their patients, colleagues and managers.Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to examine physiological and psychological effects of stressors (tasks) and theory-based perceptions of work stressors within and between nurses in real time.Methods: During two work shifts, 100 nurses rated experienced stress, affect, fatigue, theory-based measures of work stress and nursing tasks on electronic diaries every 90 min, whereas heart rate and activity were measured continuously.Results: Heart rate was associated with both demand and effort. Experienced stress was related to demand, control, effort and reward. Effort and reward interacted as predicted (but only within people). Results were unchanged when allowance was made for work tasks.Conclusions: Real-time appraisals were more important than actual tasks in predicting both psychological and physiological correlates of stress. At times when effort was high, perceived reward reduced stress.

KW - Demand-control model

KW - EFFORT-REWARD IMBALANCE

KW - Occupational stress

KW - Heart rate

KW - Ecological momentary assessment

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DO - 10.1007/s12160-015-9746-8

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SN - 0883-6612

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SP - 187

EP - 197

JO - Annals of Behavioral Medicine

JF - Annals of Behavioral Medicine

IS - 2

ER -

Stressors, Appraisal of Stressors, Experienced Stress and Cardiac Response: A Real-Time, Real-Life Investigation of Work Stress in Nurses

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