Veterinary nurses' psychological well-being: The impact of patient suffering and death
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Author(s)
Deacon, Rebecca E
Brough, Paula
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2017
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Objective: Preliminary evidence suggests veterinary nurses are an at-risk population for high levels of occupational stress. This
study sought to advance knowledge of occupational stress in this under-researched professional group by applying the Job
Demands–Resources model to assess predictors of psychological strain, work-related burnout, and work engagement. Method:
Research participants consisted of 144 veterinary nurses employed within one Australian state (response rate of 41%). Data were
obtained via an anonymous self-report questionnaire. All research participation was voluntary. Results: Analyses indicated the
mean ...
View more >Objective: Preliminary evidence suggests veterinary nurses are an at-risk population for high levels of occupational stress. This study sought to advance knowledge of occupational stress in this under-researched professional group by applying the Job Demands–Resources model to assess predictors of psychological strain, work-related burnout, and work engagement. Method: Research participants consisted of 144 veterinary nurses employed within one Australian state (response rate of 41%). Data were obtained via an anonymous self-report questionnaire. All research participation was voluntary. Results: Analyses indicated the mean level of work-related burnout in this sample exceeded that of normative samples in human health-care professions. We also found that although both generic and occupation-specific job demands were significantly associated with levels of psychological strain and burnout, generic job demands accounted for a greater proportion of variance. Only direct effects were produced for the association of both workplace social support and job control with work engagement; no evidence was found for the moderating effects of these two job resources. Conclusions: The findings both validate and challenge the tenets of the Job Demands– Resources explanation of occupation stress. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.
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View more >Objective: Preliminary evidence suggests veterinary nurses are an at-risk population for high levels of occupational stress. This study sought to advance knowledge of occupational stress in this under-researched professional group by applying the Job Demands–Resources model to assess predictors of psychological strain, work-related burnout, and work engagement. Method: Research participants consisted of 144 veterinary nurses employed within one Australian state (response rate of 41%). Data were obtained via an anonymous self-report questionnaire. All research participation was voluntary. Results: Analyses indicated the mean level of work-related burnout in this sample exceeded that of normative samples in human health-care professions. We also found that although both generic and occupation-specific job demands were significantly associated with levels of psychological strain and burnout, generic job demands accounted for a greater proportion of variance. Only direct effects were produced for the association of both workplace social support and job control with work engagement; no evidence was found for the moderating effects of these two job resources. Conclusions: The findings both validate and challenge the tenets of the Job Demands– Resources explanation of occupation stress. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.
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Journal Title
Australian Journal of Psychology
Copyright Statement
© 2016 Australian Psychological Society. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Veterinary nurses' psychological well‐being: The impact of patient suffering and death, Australian Journal of Psychology, Volume 69, Issue 2, Volume 69, Issue 2, Pages 77-85, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12119. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html)
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This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
Subject
Psychology
Other psychology not elsewhere classified
Cognitive and computational psychology