Nurses in Scotland feeling intense stress

Monday, 26 September 2011 16:00

News - Workplace Stress

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According to an article on News-Medical.net, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Scotland reported that nurses working for the country's National Health Services are feeling far less secure in their positions and are experiencing high levels of workplace stress, when compared to past statistics.

The news source reported that two years ago, 82 percent of nurses said they felt secure in their position but now just 30 percent report feelings of job security. Additionally, about three quarters said they experience intense stress on the job, and 68 percent reported being more worried about money than the previous year.

“Given the continuing cuts to the nursing workforce, prolonged pay freeze and planned pension increases, it is no surprise that the morale of nurses and healthcare support workers in our NHS is plummeting," said Theresa Fyffe, the director of RCN Scotland, quoted by the news source.

The situation in the U.S. may not be much better, as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that stress among nurses has been an issue since the 1960s. The institution reported that there are four main job aspects that contribute to workplace stress among nurses: patient care, making difficult decisions, responsibilities and changes in job role and technology.