[Coping with occupational stresses in health professions]

Abstract

A model of coping with job stressors is presented, whereby the mediating effect of coping always is goal directed. There exists a variety of stressors in health professions which call for flexible adaptation. Results of studies by this author on coping with job stressors in nursing and dentists are presented. Coping strategies of nurses are not always optimal: in factor analysis coping by will and problem solving was followed by social support; less favourable is diversion and compensation by consumption, fatalistic-depressed withdrawal or aggressive acting out. Religions support seems to be especially helpful in a subgroup. Job satisfaction remains high (80% satisfied), with progressive satisfaction going with little stress values, but poor satisfaction with high stress. In the coping process of doctors and dentists there is a better correspondence between stressors and coping strategies. Quite in contrast to the rich literature on stressors there are few studies on coping of healthcare professionals, so that it is difficult to derive general conclusions. Nevertheless, based on qualitative analysis (repertory grid by Kelly) certain typical patterns were elaborated like "manager; denier; pleaser; problem seeker". Finally intervention strategies to improve coping of health professionals are reviewed.