The central issue in this thesis is the work related causes and consequences of job stress among nurses. The relationships between a wide range of work characteristics and characteristics of the... Show moreThe central issue in this thesis is the work related causes and consequences of job stress among nurses. The relationships between a wide range of work characteristics and characteristics of the organization and environment on the one hand, and different outcomes (such as job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion) on the other hand are explored in three studies. The influence of goal orientation on the outcomes is studied in a fourth study. Data were gathered by means of questionnaires that were spread among all nurses of the Leiden University Medical Centre in 2000 and in 2003. Nurses’ job satisfaction is influenced by their possibilities to develop nursing skills and by having good working relationships with supervisors. Nurses’ ill health is largely determined by their workload. However, it seems not (necessarily) to be the emotional demand of patient contact that burdens nurses. More likely, ill-health is the effect of the fact that nurses cannot give each patient the attention they want to give, due to too many tasks. The thesis deals with methodological issues such as causality. Moreover, it deals with theoretical issues such as the influence of person and environmental factors on the stress reaction. Finally, practical considerations are outlined. Show less
