In the course of working in healthcare facilities and serving patients of all ages, nurses have to deal with very challenging occupational hazards, such as constantly being exposed to traumatic incidents, pain, suffering, and death. When mental and emotional distress becomes a common occurrence, it can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Unfortunately, according to an article from the Journal of Clinical Nursing, a staggering 96% of nurses state that they are experiencing at least one symptom of PTSD, while 21% of nurses meet the criteria for receiving a clinical PTSD diagnosis.
This article provides details about what PTSD is and its symptoms, empowering healthcare professionals to spot them early and get the help and support they need. We also provide helpful strategies that healthcare organizations can adopt to provide exemplary support for emotionally and mentally overwhelmed healthcare professionals.
What is PTSD and what are its symptoms?
According to the Mayo Clinic, PTSD is a mental health condition that occurs when an individual either directly experiences or witnesses something extremely stressful or scary, causing difficulties in how the individual functions daily. PTSD can present differently in individuals, from severe anxiety to even experiencing nightmares.
PTSD symptoms can appear almost immediately after or even years after experiencing a traumatic event, which can heavily impact different aspects of a person’s life, including how they function as individuals, how they interact with others, and how they perform their job functions.
The American Psychiatric Association describes the different PTSD symptoms that are categorized into four major groups:
| Group | Symptoms |
| Intrusion | Unwanted and involuntary thoughts such as:· Repeated memories· Distressing dreams· Flashbacks |
| Avoidance | Avoiding triggers, including the people, places, and things, that remind them of a traumatic incident. This can also include avoiding talking about the event and how it makes them feel. |
| Changes in cognition and mood | May involve depressive symptoms such as:· Feeling sad· Inability to feel joy or satisfaction· A lack of interest in things that they used to enjoy· An inability to remember critical aspects of the traumatic event· Feeling detached or estranged from others |
| Changes in arousal and reactivity | May involve the following behaviors:· Irritability· Angry outbursts· Reckless behavior· Self-destructive behavior· Being easily started· Having difficulty sleeping |
What contributes to nurses experiencing PTSD?
The nature of the nursing profession makes nurses more susceptible to experiencing PTSD symptoms compared to other occupations. Based on multiple scientific studies through the years, the following factors contribute to nurses experiencing PTSD at increasing numbers:
Emotional labor
Part of what makes nursing such a fulfilling profession is its compassionate nature. Nurses are universally known for providing compassionate and caring assistance to patients and delivering skilled clinical services. They create emotional bonds with patients who may experience pain and suffering during their treatments, and they’re forced to remain professional in their reactions, which can be emotionally overwhelming. Not only do they see patients they’ve made emotional connections with suffering firsthand, but they also experience trauma themselves.
Occupational Burnout
Occupational burnout occurs when nurses become too physically, emotionally, and mentally taxed at work due to long hours, heavy workloads, and the pressure of making critical decisions quickly. This was especially true during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when healthcare professionals worked extremely long hours, with twice or more than the usual patient load, and dealing with a terrifying illness that didn’t have a cure at the time.
Workplace violence
In the course of delivering bedside treatment and care to patients, nurses may experience workplace violence (WPV) such as physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening and disruptive behavior.
WPV can lead to numerous severe short- and long-term repercussions. For example, healthcare professionals who experience verbal abuse may experience chronic stress, self-esteem issues, and mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Additionally, it can lead individuals to self-isolate and disengage from colleagues, friends, and family, or even resort to substance abuse.
How can healthcare facilities support nurses experiencing PTSD?
Aside from ensuring that nurses’ work hours and workload are at optimal levels, here are other helpful strategies that healthcare organizations can adopt to support the emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing of their employees:
· Create a peer-to-peer program to help provide support to nurses and other healthcare professionals deal with stressful and traumatic work events.
· Help spread awareness about and provide coaching for healthy coping and stress-reducing strategies to reduce depressive symptoms and encourage healthy lifestyles and behaviors in and out of work.
· Provide access to mental health services and apps that can help build resilience, manage work stress, and encourage overall wellness
