Job Stress and Coping Mechanisms Among Nursing Staff in Malaysia

Job stress has in numerous occasion been cited for cause of suicide, whereby workers took their own life as a result of work pressure. Nurses in hospitals are exposed to high levels of occupational stress resulting from heavy workloads, extended working hours and high levels of time pressure. They are at a higher risk of suffering from depressive disorders than is the general population. Nursing by its nature is a stressful profession. Nurse work in high-stress environments since their main responsibility focuses upon providing help to patients who are usually encountering life crisis. In the high demand for effectiveness and efficiency of private health services delivery, nursing staff is placed on a high responsibility to ensure the demand of patients are satisfied. This study examined how nurses cope with stress, what are major contributors to nursing stress, what is the relationship between jobs itself, work environment, individual and management support with coping mechanism to reduce job stress among nursing staff and how to alleviate job stress among nursing? The study findings provided answers to the questions and much more.