Relevance of Traumatic Events and Routine Stressors at Work and PTSD Symptoms on Emergency Nurses

Manuel Campillo-Cruz, José Luís González-Gutiérrez and Juan Ardoy-Cuadros
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Manuel Campillo-Cruz: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
José Luís González-Gutiérrez: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
Juan Ardoy-Cuadros: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Emergency nurses are exposed daily to numerous stressful situations that can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This study examined the relationship between traumatic events, routine stressors linked to trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in emergency nurses. For this purpose, a sample of 147 emergency nurses completed the Traumatic and Routine Stressors Scale on Emergency Nurses (TRSS-EN) and the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS-5). Results of correlations and moderate multiple regression analyses showed that the emotional impact of routine stressors was associated with a greater number of PTSD symptoms, and, apparently, to greater severity, in comparison to the emotional impact of traumatic events. Furthermore, the emotional impact of traumatic events acts as a moderator, changing the relationship between the emotional impact of routine stressors and PTSD symptoms, in the sense that the bigger the emotional impact of traumatic events, the bigger the relationship between the emotional impact of routine stressors and PTSD symptoms. These results suggest that the exposure to routine work-related stressors, in a context characterized by the presence of traumatic events may make emergency nurses particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress reactions. Some prevention measures are suggested according to the results of the study.

Keywords: emergency nursing; mental health and illness; nurses; post-traumatic stress disorder; routine stressors; traumatic events (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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