Comparison of Emotional Labor and Job Stress of Hospital Nursing Staff / 산업간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the relationship between the level of emotional labor and occupational job stress of hospital nursing staff. METHODS: The survey was conducted from Mar. to Oct. 2009 to collect data from clinical nurses (N=496). RESULTS: The study showed that nurses without religion and those working in big-sized hospitals had higher scores in emotional labor, and those of 26~30 years old felt the highest stress in the occupational role. The same applied to the married, more work experienced, atheist and those working in big-sized hospitals. Unmarried, under educated nurses with less work experience working in the big-sized hospitals showed higher scores in personal strain. The scores of the personal resources depended on religion, work experience, marital status and position of their jobs. Emotional labor was positively correlated with an occupational role and personal strain, respectively, but the emotional labor, occupational role and personal strain were negatively correlated with personal resources respectively. CONCLUSION: Intervention program is required to reduce overload of nurse's role and to relieve physical and psychological strains of the under-30-age-group. Also, social support and rational/cognitive coping must be reinforced.