Work stress and physical assault of nursing aides in rural nursing homes with and without dementia special care units.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared nursing aides (NAs) employed in rural nursing homes with and without dementia special care units (SCUs) on (1) exposure to and distress from disruptive behaviours exhibited by residents, (2) job strain and (3) physical assault.


METHODS
The data were drawn from a larger study conducted in Saskatchewan, Canada, in which all rural nursing homes of < or = 100 beds that had an SCU were matched to same-sized rural facilities with no SCU. Nursing aides (n = 355) completed a mailed survey questionnaire.


RESULTS
Nursing aides employed in nursing homes with an SCU reported significantly less frequent exposure to disruptive behaviours (including aggressive and aversive behaviours) than NAs in non-SCU facilities, less distress when these behaviours were directed toward them, less exposure to aggressive behaviour during caregiving, lower job demands and lower job strain. There was a trend toward increased risk of being assaulted in the last year associated with being in a non-SCU facility. Having a permanent position, increased job strain, and feeling inadequately prepared for dementia care were significantly associated with higher risk of being assaulted. In the SCU facilities, NAs who worked more time on the SCU reported more assaults but less distress from disruptive behaviour, lower psychological job demands, lower job strain and greater work autonomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Providing more dementia care training and reducing job demands and job strain may help to reduce work-related stress and physical assault of nursing aides employed in nursing homes.
Morgan
D G
DG
Institute of Agricultural Rural & Environmental Health, Royal University Hospital, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. morgand@sask.usask.ca
Stewart
N J
NJ
D'Arcy
C
C
Forbes
D
D
Lawson
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006276:Health Facility Size / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000523:psychology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012424:Rural Population; D012525:Saskatchewan; D012931:Social Environment; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*