Posttraumatic Stress Disorder a Professional Concern for Nurses

THURSDAY, May 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a professional concern for nurses, although the prevalence rates vary across studies, according to a review published online May 5 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

Michelle Schuster, R.N., and Patricia A. Dwyer, Ph.D., R.N., from Boston Children’s Hospital, conducted an integrative review to describe the prevalence of PTSD in registered nurses and identify factors associated with PTSD related to nursing work. Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed.

The researchers found that in describing the prevalence of PTSD among nurses, the theme of All Over the Board emerged from the synthesis of literature. Across studies, the prevalence rates of PTSD differed vastly, likely due to variability in measurement. From the synthesis of factors that influence PTSD among nurses, four themes emerged: the workplace matters; relationships matter; it hurts to care; and interpersonal strengths. These themes captured multiple factors that occur across organizational, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels of influence.

“Optimizing the well-being of nurses should be a priority as PTSD can lead to negative mental, emotional, and physical effects on an individual,” the authors write. “Awareness about PTSD should be further disseminated to nurses, health care organizations, and leaders within the health care industry.”

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