title: The struggle for the soul of hospice: stress, coping, and change among hospice workers.
abstract: This article reports preliminary findings from an ongoing study of occupational stress, coping, and change among employees at a hospice in New York state. The study sought to identify those aspects of hospice work that direct-service and middle-management staff considered unique and rewarding, and also to examine those conditions that created problematic levels of stress. A qualitative methodology was employed, based on heuristic principles of grounded theory and action research. Techniques included field observation and participation, 38 semi-structured interviews, and group discussion and review of data by research participants. The authors elaborate upon established models of occupational stress and coping, and identify hospice-specific stressors and resources for coping. The research highlights "support" as a critically important, multidimensional element for successful coping. A re-examination and reinterpretation of "coping" as it applies to stress in hospice work is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Le Moyne College, Syracuse, New York, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiTullio
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D006738:Hospices / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*