College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Summer 8-21-2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Pamela Schwartz, CRNA, DNP

Second Advisor

Julia Feczko, CRNA, DNP

Abstract

Stress is the body’s way of responding to something out of the norm, or a stressor. Stressors affect nurse anesthesia trainees (NATs) to unpredictable levels of stress. The purpose of this study was to explore stressors experienced; ways to cope with stressors as perceived by NATs, if there was any association between socio-demographic variables to the various ways of coping with stress, and development of a one-hour seminar on different ways to cope with stress during a nurse anesthesia program.

A survey was distributed to members of the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthetists (IANA), which identified demographic information, stressors, and coping mechanisms experienced by anesthesia providers while enrolled in anesthesia school. Results from 165 respondents indicated no statistically significant relationship between demographics and coping mechanisms. The most commonly reported stressors included a change in financial income, a decrease in work hours, recreational activities, sleeping, and eating habits. The background information on the importance of identifying stressors, stress, and coping mechanisms was translated into an educational seminar for future NATs.

SLP Collection

yes

Included in

Nursing Commons

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