Occupational stress in health professionals: a study with Portuguese Nurses

Este trabalho analisa o estresse ocupacional em 286 enfermeiros de hospitais e centros de saúde portugueses. Avaliaram-se as fontes de estresse, o burnout, os problemas de saúde física, a satisfação e a realização profissional. Os resultados apontaram 30% de enfermeiros com experiências significativas de estresse e 15% com problemas de exaustão emocional. As análises de regressão múltipla apontaram maior capacidade preditiva das dimensões de estresse na exaustão emocional, na saúde física, na satisfação e na realização profissional. As análises comparativas evidenciaram maiores problemas de stresse e reacções mais negativas ao trabalho nas mulheres, nos enfermeiros mais novos e com menor experiência, nos trabalhadores com contratos a prazo, nos profissionais que realizam trabalho por turnos e nos que trabalham mais horas.This work analyses occupational stress in 286 nurses from hospitals and health care centres in Portugal. The following dimensions were evaluated: stress, burnout, physical health problems, satisfaction and professional fulfilment. Results revealed significant stress experiences in 30% of the professionals, and emotional exhaustion problems in 15%. Multiple regression analysis pointed out stress as an important predictor of emotional exhaustion, physical health, satisfaction and professional fulfilment. Comparative analysis suggested more occupational stress and professional negative experiences in the following groups: female nurses, younger and less experienced nurses, those with short-term working contracts, nurses working on a shift-basis system, and nurses working during long hours.(undefined

The application of Reiki in nurses diagnosed with Burnout Syndrome has beneficial effects on concentration of salivary IgA and blood pressure

This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), α-amylase activity and blood pressure levels after the application of a Reiki session in nurses with Burnout Syndrome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was conducted to compare the immediate effects of Reiki versus control intervention (Hand-off sham intervention) in nurses with Burnout Syndrome. Sample was composed of eighteen nurses (aged 34-56 years) with burnout syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a Reiki treatment or a placebo (sham Reiki) treatment, according to the established order in two different days. The ANOVA showed a significant interaction time x intervention for diastolic blood pressure (F=4.92, P=0.04) and sIgA concentration (F=4.71, P=0.04). A Reiki session can produce an immediate and statistically significant improvement in sIgA concentration and diastolic blood pressure in nurses with Burnout Syndrome

As características dos alunos são determinantes para o adoecimento de professores: um estudo comparativo sobre a incidência de Burnout em professores do ensino regular e especial The student characteristics affect teachers' illnesses: a comparative study on the incidence of Burnout in regular and special education teachers

O exercício da docência é permeado por condições de trabalho adversas, baixos salários, insuficiência de recursos materiais e didáticos, salas numerosas, tensão no relacionamento com os alunos, carga horária de trabalho excessiva, inexpressiva participação no planejamento da instituição e nas políticas institucionais e falta de segurança no ambiente escolar. O presente estudo teve por objetivo comparar a presença de indicadores de burnout em três grupos de professores que atuam no primeiro ciclo do Ensino Fundamental: a) 20 no ensino regular, em turmas sem a inserção de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais - RSI; b) 20 no ensino regular, em turmas com a inserção de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais - RCI; c) 20 em salas de recursos - SR. Para a coleta, foi utilizado o Maslach Burnout Inventory -MBI. Na análise de dados, empregou-se o SPSS, versão 13.0, e o Teste de Kruskal-Wallis para comparação dos grupos. Os resultados, que foram organizados em forma de Figuras e Tabelas, revelam que, de maneira geral, os grupos apresentaram relativa similaridade. Entretanto, algumas diferenças foram encontradas. O grupo de professores SR obteve os melhores resultados na avaliação das três escalas do burnout, quando comparado com RSI e RCI, ou seja, com predominância de respostas nos níveis mais baixos de exaustão emocional, altos na diminuição da realização pessoal e baixos para despersonalização. Espera-se que os dados expostos contribuam para a compreensão do burnout em professores do ensino regular com e sem inclusão de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, e/ou suscitem novos encaminhamentos de pesquisas.<br>The practice of teaching is permeated by adverse working conditions, low wages, inadequacy of material and teaching resources, overcrowded classrooms, tension in relationships with the students, excessive work load, lack of safety in the school environment, insignificant participation in institutional planning and in institutional politics. The objective of the present study was to compare burnout among three groups of teachers who work in elementary grades: a) 20 teachers who teach in regular school classrooms without the inclusion of students with special educational needs - RSI Group; b) 20 teachers who teach in the regular classroom with special needs students - RCI Group; c) 20 teachers who teach in resource classrooms (SR Group). The instruments used for data collection were the Maslach Burnout Inventory -MBI. The data was analyzed by SPSS version 13.0 and Kruskal-Wallis test for comparison of the three groups. The results were organized in the form of figures and tables. In general, the results demonstrated that the groups presented relative similarity. The teachers from the SR Group obtained the best results in the evaluation of the three burnout scales when compared to the RSI Group and RCI Group, that is, there was a prevalence of answers in the lower levels of emotional exhaustion, high level of low personal accomplishment and low level for depersonalization. It is hoped that these results contribute to a better understanding of burnout in teachers from regular classrooms with or without students with educational special needs and/or to indicate new directions for investigation