Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among pediatric acute care nurses.
In their work, pediatric acute care nurses may encounter traumatic events and be at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This survey-based study examines the potential diagnosis of PTSD among nurses at a tertiary children's hospital with a Level 1 trauma center. Twenty-one percent of respondents had strong PTSD symptoms without significant difference between units. Nurses with potential PTSD had more comorbid symptoms of anxiety, depression, and burnout and were more often considering a career change. Furthermore, symptoms affected not only their work but also their personal lives. Future research should focus upon identifying pediatric nurses with PTSD to provide therapeutic interventions and reducing high-risk events and their potential impact.
Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. czaja.angela@tchden.org
Angela S
AS
Czaja
Marc
M
Moss
Meredith
M
Mealer
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult