Exploring secondary traumatic stress experienced by nurses working in mental health service in Rwanda.
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Date
2008
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Abstract
It has been suggested that a unique feature of some mental health nurses' work is exposure
through their role as therapists to clients' descriptions of, and reactions to, trauma, and that
these experiences may actually indirectly cause distress and traumatization to the nurse.
This proposed phenomenon has been termed "secondary traumatic stress" and is the focus
of the current study.
Aim: The aim of this study was to explore secondary traumatic stress experienced by
nurses working in mental health services in Rwanda.
Methods: The research was conducted in Ndera Psychiatric Hospital. The questionnaire
consisted of items of the Trauma Attachment Belief Scale (T ABS), demographic
characteristics of participants, personal trauma history, work related aspects and support
systems. A convenient sampling of 50 nurses who provide a mental health care to trauma
survivors and mentally ill patients in the Ndera Psychiatric Hospital was adopted.
Results: Results of the study indicate that there is belief disruption in the respondents. The
mean scores of most of the respondents were high in all areas of cognitive believe. Of the
respondents, 98% (n=49) had T -score of 80 for other-safety which was extremely high. The
nurses identified the psychiatric nurses and a psychiatrist as their main support systems in
dealing with secondary traumatic stress and generally believed in the usefulness of
supervision.
Conclusion: In summary, this study expanded on knowledge into the effects of secondary
traumatization, particularly with concern to mental health clinicians, a population often
ignored. This study was considered to be a contribution to trauma literature as it provides
much needed empirical evidence.
Description
Thesis (M.Cur.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.
Keywords
Psychiatric nursing--Job stress., Theses--Nursing.