Department of Nursing
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11875/2955
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Browsing Department of Nursing by Author "Boss, Lisa"
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Item Nurse Adaptability and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms During the COVID- 19 Pandemic: The Effects of Family and Perceived Organizational Support(Frontiers in Psychology, 2022-03-04) Cockerham, Mona; Beier, Margaret E.; Branson, Sandy; Boss, LisaObjective: To examine the effect of family and perceived organizational support on the relationship between nurse adaptability and their experience with COVID-related PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms in frontline nurses working on COVID- 19 units. Background: Proximity to and survival of life-threatening events contribute to a diagnosis of PTSD, which is characterized by avoidance of reminders of trauma, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks of events, sleep disturbances, and hypervigilance. Using the job-demands and resource model, we examined the effect of adaptability, family support, and perceived organizational support on PTSD symptoms for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we tested whether perceptions of environmental supports—i.e., family and organizational support—moderated the relationship between nurse adaptability and COVID-related PTSD symptoms. Methods: A sample of frontline nurses working on COVID-19 units during the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas (N = 277) participated in this cross-sectional, observational study. Frontline Nurses reported demographic information and completed surveys designed to measure adaptability, perceived organizational support, family support, and COVID related PTSD symptoms. Results: Adaptability was significantly positively correlated (medium effects) to perceived organizational and family support (r = 0.51 and 0.56, respectively, p < 0.01). Adaptability and perceived organizational support were also negatively correlated with COVID-related PTSD symptoms (medium effects). Adaptability was negatively correlated with COVID-related PTSD symptoms, supporting Hypothesis 1 (r = -0.43, p < 0.01). Perceived organizational support was also significantly negatively correlated with COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms (r = -0.30, p < 0.01). Family support was not significantly correlated with COVID-related PTSD but was positively related to experiencing COVID-related PTSD after other variables were accounted for. Conclusion: Findings suggest that individual adaptability and organizational support may reduce PTSD severity in frontline nurses working during a crisis; however, family support may increase PTSD symptoms. We provide suggestions for strengthening individual adaptability and healthcare leadership including remaining highly engaged to show support by providing rapid communication, remaining calm during difficult circumstances, and maintaining a consistent, physical presence during difficult times. Moreover, our results suggest additional support for nurses with families to adapt to crisis.Item Stress and cortisol as predictors of fatigue in medical/surgical nurses and nurse leaders: A biobehavioral approach(Sciedu (Journal of Nursing Education), 2018) Cockerham, Mona; Kang, Duck-Hee; Howe, Robin; Weimer, Susan; Boss, Lisa; Kamat, Sharvari R.Objective:High acuity and long work hours are significant contributors to nurses’ stress. Studies evaluating consecutive workdays with the use of biobehavioral methods are limited in the US. The aim of this study was to assess changes in and the relationship between stress, fatigue, and cortisol.Methods:In an observational within-subject design, we studied stress, fatigue and cortisol before and after 2 consecutive 12-hourday shifts in an acute care setting. Specifically, the study was designed to: (1) assess the effect of stress on fatigue; (2) examine the effect of stress on cortisol; (3) compare the levels of stress, fatigue, and cortisol; and (4) compare the responses of stress,fatigue, and cortisol between acute care, day shift staff nurses and nurse leaders.Results:Stress, fatigue, and cortisol increased significantly from baseline to Day 2 (p= .001, .004, and .010, respectively; paired t-test). In a comparison of nurses and nurse leaders, stress and fatigue at baseline were significantly higher in acute care nurses than in nurse leaders (p≥.00 and .05, respectively; independent t-test). At the end of 2 consecutive shifts, cortisol was significantly higher in staff nurses than in nurse leaders (p= .001). Conclusions: Competing initiatives pressure nurse leaders to work long hours to support organizational goals, sometimes at the expense of a healthy work environment. Nurses from direct care staff to executives should be educated in and demonstrate best practices in relation to endorsements from the American Nurses Association on fatigue and interventions to lessen the risks to patient safety.