Stress and coping of Canadian rural nurses caring for trauma patients who are transferred out.
BACKGROUND
The present study investigated acute stress and coping among rural nurses who work with transfer trauma patients.


METHODS
Nineteen rural nurses ages 34 to 53 years participated in 4 focus groups. Each group was asked to identify a specific stressful situation involving transfer of trauma/accident patients and to share their experience of the situation.


RESULTS
Stressful situations encountered included system problems (EG, lack of resources; time pressures), lack of communication, visual impact, and professional discord. Coping responses included efforts to alter the problem (problem-focused coping) and efforts to control emotions (emotion-focused coping). Social support coping was identified as the most helpful way of coping with trauma.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall the findings suggest that rural nurses face unique stressors not identified in the nursing literature, which most often reflects urban settings.
Moszczynski
Alice B
AB
Mills Memorial Hospital Terrace, Northern British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Haney
Colleen J
CJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000451:nursing*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011340:Problem Solving; D012944:Social Support; D016526:Workload