Title

Home Care Nurses' Experience of Job Stress and Considerations for the Work Environment

Authors

Linda Samia PhD, RN, CNL, University of Southern MaineFollow
Carol Hall Ellenbecker PhD, RN, University of Massachusetts Boston
Donna Haig Friedman PhD, University of Massachusetts Boston
Karen Dick PhD, GNP-BC, FAANP, University of Massachusetts Boston

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Publication Title

Home Health Care Services Quarterly

Keywords

case study, home care, job stress, nurse, professional practice, work environment

Abstract

Home care nurses report increased stress in their jobs due to work environment characteristics that impact professional practice. Stressors and characteristics of the professional practice environment that moderate nurses' experience of job stress were examined in this embedded multiple case study. Real life experiences within a complex environment were drawn from interviews and observations with 29 participants across two home care agencies from one eastern U.S. state. Findings suggest that role overload, role conflict, and lack of control can be moderated in agencies where there are meaningful opportunities for shared decision making and the nurse-patient relationship is supported.

Comments

The first author graciously acknowledges the funding in part for this study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (Dissertation award: 1 R36HS016224-01).

Recommended Citation

Samia, L. W., Ellenbecker, C. H., Haig Friedman, D., Dick, K. (2012). Home care nurses’ experience of job stress and considerations for the work environment. Home Health Care Services Quarterly, 31(3), 243-265. DOI: 10.1080/01621424.2012.703903