Effectiveness of stress management interventional programme on occupational stress for nurses: A systematic review

Abstract

Aim The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of stress management interventional program in reducing occupational stress among nurses. Background Nursing professionals are placed continuously at the forefront in the area of healthcare which makes them highly exposed to professional stress. Evaluation Randomized controlled trial studies (RCTs) were systematically searched in eight different databases for works published in English from 2011 to 2019; inclusion criteria were applied by two reviewers critically and assessed the risk of bias using Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Key issues The systematic search contributed to the extraction of approximately 10 most relevant RCTs. Most of the RCTs considered in this systematic review revealed that the stress reduction interventions and strategies were effective in reducing the levels of occupational stress experienced by nurses. Conclusions Current review shows that stress management interventional program tends to be effective, but additional well‐designed RCTs are needed to confirm their effectiveness. Implications for nursing management Implementing stress management interventions within healthcare organisations are likely to assist nurses in reducing occupational stress and in improving coping strategies used by nurses for dealing with stress.