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Effects of Work‐Related Stressors and Mindfulness on Mental and Physical Health Among Australian Nurses and Healthcare Workers
Author(s) -
De Cieri Helen,
Shea Tracey,
Cooper Brian,
Oldenburg Brian
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of nursing scholarship
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1547-5069
pISSN - 1527-6546
DOI - 10.1111/jnu.12502
Subject(s) - stressor , mindfulness , mental health , health care , psychology , multilevel model , population , clinical psychology , medicine , nursing , psychiatry , environmental health , machine learning , computer science , economics , economic growth
Purpose To examine the relative impact of work‐related stressors and the personal resource of mindfulness on employees’ mental and physical health. Design A cross‐sectional survey design with nursing and healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia. Methods Data were collected from 702 respondents. Mean scores for work‐related stressors and employee mental and physical health were compared with population norms. We used hierarchical linear regressions to examine the relative impact of demographics, work‐related stressors, and mindfulness on employee mental and physical health. Findings Employees in this sample reported higher levels of work‐related stress and poorer mental health compared to available norms, while their levels of physical health were within the normal range. Regression analyses showed that work‐related stressors were important predictors of employee mental health, but mindfulness was the stronger predictor. There was a slightly stronger relationship between employee physical health and work‐related stress compared to mindfulness. Furthermore, being younger and employed in a non‐nursing role were associated with better physical health. Clinical Relevance Encouraging mindfulness as a health behavior practice among nurses and other healthcare workers could improve employee well‐being and potentially enable them to more effectively fulfill the requirements of their demanding roles.