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Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work
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Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Medics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2024) | Viewed by 14283

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Victoria Alikari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nursing, University of West Attica, 122 43 Egaleo, Greece
Interests: renal nursing; haemodialysis; peritoneal dialysis; quality of life; patient education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Evangelos Fradelos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Clinical Nursing, Department of Nursing, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Interests: trauma; psychological trauma; emotional trauma; emergency care; critical care; evidence-based practice
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The goal of this Special Issue is to disseminate research evidence on emotional stress experienced by healthcare professionals; on their work-related quality of life; professional relationships in healthcare settings; their emotional well-being; the effect of workload on mental health and on caring behaviors; the ethical climate; and absence from work due to fatigue, burnout or workload. This Special Issue may include healthcare professionals’ views on and roles in caring.

Articles from all healthcare environments, such as hospitals, community facilities, acute-care facilities, and long-term care facilities, are welcomed. The study population may include nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, and other healthcare professionals. The articles may be original research papers or systematic reviews. All types of study design will be considered.

Dr. Victoria Alikari
Dr. Evangelos Fradelos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health
  • stress
  • burnout
  • compassion fatigue
  • secondary traumatic stress
  • psychological trauma
  • spiritual wellbeing
  • ethical climate

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 616 KiB  
Article
Burnout and Professional Quality of Life Assessment in Portuguese Healthcare Professionals Working in Oncology and Palliative Care: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Florbela Gonçalves, Margarida Gaudêncio, Ivo Paiva, Miguel Castelo Branco and Joaquim Viana
Healthcare 2025, 13(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13010026 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 946
Abstract
Introduction/Background: Burnout is a three-dimensional syndrome characterized by exhaustion that appears when the professional is constantly exposed to a stressful work environment, as well as depersonalization and lower personal accomplishment. Professional quality of life at work can be defined as the satisfaction degree [...] Read more.
Introduction/Background: Burnout is a three-dimensional syndrome characterized by exhaustion that appears when the professional is constantly exposed to a stressful work environment, as well as depersonalization and lower personal accomplishment. Professional quality of life at work can be defined as the satisfaction degree that a person feels when being or going to their workplace. Objective: To evaluate burnout and professional quality of life in healthcare professionals working in oncology and palliative care. Material and methods: A cross-sectional, observational, and descriptive study was carried out in a convenience sample of 337 healthcare professionals from a Portuguese Oncology Hospital. The assessment tools were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Professional Quality of Life—version 5 (proQOL-5) scales. Statistical analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS® Statistics program (significance level of 95% (p ≤ 0.05)). Results: The majority of professionals were female (84%), with a median age of 41 years. Most professionals work in oncological care services (76.8%), with an average of 40 h a week. There were no statistically significant differences in MBI and ProQOL dimensions between the two groups studied (professionals working in oncology vs. palliative care). In the sample and group of professionals working with palliative patients, it was observed that lower levels of compassion satisfaction were related to higher levels of emotional exhaustion (p < 0.001). On the other hand, higher levels of satisfaction correlated with a greater sense of personal accomplishment (p < 0.001); higher levels of secondary traumatic stress were related to a greater tendency towards emotional exhaustion (p < 0.001) and depersonalization (p = 0.031). Discussion and conclusions: Working in oncology and palliative care may predispose one to the onset of burnout related to contact with distress and suffering. With this study, the authors intend to demonstrate that both scales (MBI and ProQOL) are complementary in the analysis of the prevalence of burnout and professional quality of life, particularly in the context of oncology and palliative care. The risk of compassion fatigue and burnout highlights the need to develop coping strategies to minimize this risk and improve the quality of life and bonding of health professionals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work)
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15 pages, 491 KiB  
Article
In the Shadow of the Pandemic: Examining Therapists’ Perceptions of Work-Related Stress in the Late Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany
by Smilla Johann, Megan Evans, Rike Böttcher, Nadine Muller, Barbara Buchberger, Charbel El Bcheraoui and Heide Weishaar
Healthcare 2024, 12(19), 1933; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191933 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1468
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The previous literature has identified increased work-related stress among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyzes work-related perceived stress experienced by therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany to identify potential for supporting this crucial group of HCWs in [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The previous literature has identified increased work-related stress among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyzes work-related perceived stress experienced by therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany to identify potential for supporting this crucial group of HCWs in future health crises. Methods: Survey data on stress, measured through the Perceived Stress Scale 4, among HCWs (therapists n = 612, nurses n = 501, and doctors n = 461) were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and data from four semi-structured interviews and seven focus group discussions with therapists were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Data were collected from March to September 2022. Results: Therapists reported similar stress levels to other HCWs, with the reporting of perceived stress differing between work contexts. Eight stressors were identified through the thematic analysis: (1) concerns about maintaining the quality of care, (2) uncertainty about the future, (3) workload, (4) interactions with colleagues and patients, (5) PPE, (6) the risk of infection, (7) insufficient information flow, and (8) the lack of public and political recognition. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the distinct challenges that therapists experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. By identifying the factors that contributed to the stress experienced, the study can inform targeted support strategies which can enhance therapists’ work, ultimately contributing to sustaining essential healthcare services during public health crises. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work)
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16 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
A Mixed-Method Study on the Assessment of Factors Influencing Nurses’ Provision of Spiritual Care
by Evangelos C. Fradelos, Victoria Alikari, Sofia Artemi, Evdokia Missouridou, Polyxeni Mangoulia, Maria Kyranou, Maria Saridi, Aikaterini Toska, Konstantinos Tsaras and Foteini Tzavella
Healthcare 2024, 12(8), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12080854 - 18 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1689
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore factors that influence nurses’ beliefs about offering spiritual care. Study Design: A mixed-method study design, incorporating both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative research, was used for this study (focus group discussion). Methods: The questionnaires were completed [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to explore factors that influence nurses’ beliefs about offering spiritual care. Study Design: A mixed-method study design, incorporating both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative research, was used for this study (focus group discussion). Methods: The questionnaires were completed by a convenience sample of nurses and their assistants working in two public hospitals. These questionnaires included the Greek versions of the FACIT-Sp-12, SCIPS, NEO-FFI, and the Spiritual Climate Scale, as well as a specially designed questionnaire to gather demographic, socioeconomic, and professional information about the study population (SCS). Three nurses and two nursing assistants who worked in public hospitals and were chosen through purposive sampling made up the sample for the qualitative study. In utilizing inductive content analysis methodology, a qualitative analysis was carried out. Results: Greek nurses frequently offer spiritual care to their patients, primarily existential spiritual care. It was discovered that the spiritual climate, the nurses’ positive coherence, and their educational level all exert a favorable effect on total spiritual care. Three categories and seven subcategories were used to describe the participants’ prior experiences with spiritual care. Conclusions: Greek nurses frequently offer spiritual care to their patients, and both internal and external factors influence their attitudes in this regard. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work)
16 pages, 429 KiB  
Article
Female Medical Students’ Experiences of Sexism during Clinical Placements: A Qualitative Study
by Darya Ibrahim and Ruth Riley
Healthcare 2023, 11(7), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11071002 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4136
Abstract
In the UK, more women are studying medicine than men, most of whom have experienced sexism, yet these experiences are under-researched. This qualitative study explores female medical students’ experiences of sexism on placement, impacts sustained, barriers and facilitators encountered upon reporting. A total [...] Read more.
In the UK, more women are studying medicine than men, most of whom have experienced sexism, yet these experiences are under-researched. This qualitative study explores female medical students’ experiences of sexism on placement, impacts sustained, barriers and facilitators encountered upon reporting. A total of 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted, employing purposive sampling, snowball sampling and an inductive thematic analysis. A qualitative methodology was underpinned by the feminist social constructionist theory. Four themes were identified: 1—experiences of sexism, comprising physical and verbal harassment and microaggressions; 2—negative impacts of sexist encounters ranged from psychosocial to repercussions on learning and development; 3—systemic and attitudinal barriers to reporting; 4—recommendations to tackle sexism shaped by the views and experiences of female medical student participants. Female medical students experienced wide-ranging sexism which negatively impacted their wellbeing with negative repercussions for their training and development. The barriers to reporting need to be urgently addressed, and systems, policies and processes need to be over-hauled to sensitively, effectively and equitably manage and provide justice to students who experience and report sexism. Students need to be empowered to respond, report and be offered psychological safety in doing so. Attitudes and practices which are complicit in sustaining sexism need to be challenged and changed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work)
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14 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Race and Gender-Related Discrimination on the Psychological Distress Experienced by Junior Doctors in the UK: A Qualitative Secondary Data Analysis
by Niha Mariam Hussain, Johanna Spiers, Farina Kobab and Ruth Riley
Healthcare 2023, 11(6), 834; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11060834 - 12 Mar 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4632
Abstract
Almost half of NHS doctors are junior doctors, while high proportions are women and/or Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals. Discrimination against this population is associated with poorer career-related outcomes and unequal representation. We aimed to qualitatively explore junior doctors’ experience of [...] Read more.
Almost half of NHS doctors are junior doctors, while high proportions are women and/or Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals. Discrimination against this population is associated with poorer career-related outcomes and unequal representation. We aimed to qualitatively explore junior doctors’ experience of workplace racial and gender-based discrimination, and its impact on their psychological distress (PD). In this study, we carried out a secondary analysis of data from a UK-based parent study about junior doctors’ working cultures and conditions. Interview data was examined using thematic analysis. Transcripts (n = 14) documenting experiences of race and/or gender-based discrimination were sampled and analysed from 21 in-depth interviews conducted with UK junior doctors. Four themes were generated about the experiences and perpetrators of discrimination, the psychological impact of discrimination, and organisational interventions that tackle discrimination. Discrimination in various forms was reported, from racially charged threats to subtle microaggressions. Participants experienced profoundly elevated levels of PD, feeling fearful, undermined, and under-confident. Discrimination is associated with elevated levels of PD, whilst negatively impacting workforce sustainability and retention. This reduces the opportunity for more diversity in NHS medical leadership. We encourage NHS hospitals to review their policies about discrimination and develop in-person workshops that focus on recognising, challenging, and reporting workplace discrimination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Work)
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