A Summary of: Mental Health Nursing and Stress: Maintaining Balance

A summary of: Mental health nursing and stress: Maintaining balance

Psychology 2314- Lifespan Growth & Development

October 31, 2013

Ward (2011) states that recruiting and maintaining nursing staff continues to be a current concern for acute inpatient mental health facilities. Recent studies show that the amount of stress in mental health nursing is a definite contribution to the deficiency of registered nurses deciding to work in the mental health field. Mental health nurses face a number of dangerous, unforeseeable events on a daily basis. The chaotic work environment, lack of sufficient staffing and insufficient resources puts pressure on the already stressed mental health nurses. A recently reviewed article relating to this topic explains how mental health nurses cope and sustain balance while working in acute inpatient mental health facilities. The researchers proposed that the process in which the nurse participants manipulate their stress essentially associates to their job satisfaction.

This article by Ward (2011) analyzed numerous fundamental factors for stress and job dissatisfaction experienced by the thirteen female participants. The structure of this research promotes feministic values and backs up the idea that women and nurses have been suppressed and continue to be confined in the nursing field. The feministic structure enabled the participants to verbalize safely, and for gender to be the main focus explored in their stories. A qualitative method was also utilized in the research, enabling the researcher to be deeply involved in the participants lived experiences through interviews and focus groups. A qualitative method allowed professional issues to be brought up and also enabled participants to question their job practices and the mental health profession.

The participants selected, were women who were interested and signed up to do the study. The participants received consent forms and an information sheet concerning the study. The...