Stress Management for ICU Staff: Factors, Causes, and Mitigation

This report delves into the critical issue of stress management among Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff, particularly within the context of hospitals. It highlights the demanding nature of ICU environments, where healthcare providers face immense pressure due to the critical condition of patients. The study identifies key stress factors affecting ICU staff in the UAE, including heavy workloads, emotional strain, and concerns about patient outcomes. It further explores the causes of stress, such as inadequate resources, interpersonal conflicts, and lack of job security. The report proposes several mitigation strategies, including improved staffing levels, enhanced training programs, stress reduction workshops, and fostering a supportive work environment. Ultimately, the research aims to contribute to improved well-being and retention of ICU staff, leading to enhanced patient care quality. Desklib is a valuable platform for students seeking similar solved assignments and study resources.

Running head: STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR ICU STAFF
Stress Management for ICU staff
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................4
1.1 Background.......................................................................................................................4
2. Nature of Change.........................................................................................................................4
2.1 Significance.......................................................................................................................4
2.2 Available Knowledge............................................................................................................5
2.3 Rationale................................................................................................................................5
2.4 Aim, Objectives and Questions.............................................................................................6
3. Stress Management......................................................................................................................6
3.1 Concept of Stress...................................................................................................................6
3.2 Proposed team........................................................................................................................7
3.3 Evaluation Approach.............................................................................................................8
3.4 Measures................................................................................................................................9
3.5 Analysis.................................................................................................................................9
3.6 Ethical Consideration...........................................................................................................10
4. Change Management.................................................................................................................10
4.1 HSC Model..........................................................................................................................10
4.2 Research Timeline...............................................................................................................14
References......................................................................................................................................18

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background
Health care industry has been an important and the most essential part in the society.
However working in a hospital with patients and care users increases stress level of the doctors
and nurses working there. Patients require quality level care services especially in the Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) (Bernstein et al., 2015). These patients are already in a critical situation that
might case to death of the patient. Therefore, the stress level in the ICU is maximum. Various
risks and threats are integrated with the work place at hospitals related to the health of the
patients in the ICU. Wok-stress has been increasing in the ICU with the critical condition of the
patients. According to survey, approximately 4.4 million patients are admitted in the ICU
annually. Therefore, there is a huge number of critical patients in the ICU (Sandhu, Colon
Barlow & Ferris, 2016). This create stress in the care providers in the hospitals.
This paper analyses the stress management for the ICU staffs in the hospitals. Various
factors creating stress among care workers in the ICU will be analyzed and discussed. The
research will focus on how health care providers manages their stress in the ICU. The study will
use quantitative findings related to the workers in the ICU in hospitals.
2. Nature of Change
2.1 Significance
Stress management has been an important topic among the researchers. Stress management
in ICU in hospitals has been creating many disturbances in the services provided by hospitals.
Stress can be defined as a scientific term for representing force that constrain excessive pressure

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on mental condition of human being (Hall et al., 2016). It might result in poor quality of care
services provided to the patient. Stress negatively affect the person working in the ICU.
2.2 Available Knowledge
According to the survey, 75% of nurses have reported about decline in quality of services
provided in the hospitals. 41% of the nurses have resigned from their jobs due to poor
management in the hospitals (Kapoor et al., 2018). There have been difference in the ratio of the
private and governmental hospitals. However, 63.8% nurses are working in the private sector and
36.2% nurses are in governmental sector. Therefore, the retention in the private sector hospitals
has been more than that of governmental sector (Pruskowski et al., 2017).
2.3 Rationale
In the context of UAE, the socioeconomic development of healthcare has been undergoing
through massive expansion by its quality of services provided by care service providers.
However, it has been reported about there has been shortage of experienced care workers in
UAE. The redefinition of the care workers in the hospitals have been a major problem for the
country. The major cause for might be the stress of staffs in the ICU (Chiang et al., 2016). The
shortage in the nurses and staffs in the ICU has been creating problems in providing care services
to the patients in the ICU. This research will throw light in the major issues in the hospitals for
the retention of staffs in hospitals. The factors creating stress in staffs of ICU have been
identified in the research. The impact of stress management in the staffs at ICU will be critically
analyzed in the study. There will be some strategies recommended for mitigating these issues in
the staffs at ICU.

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The primary problem in the research has been the stress management in staff in the ICU.
Stress has been the main problem for the staffs in the ICU. Therefore, staffs uses various
strategies for coping with these stressors at work. However, in case, staffs do not know about
coping with their stress at work, it creates problem for them to work in the ICU. This has been
main reason for the retention of staffs from ICU and hospitals in the UAE.
2.4 Aim, Objectives and Questions
The aim of the research is to analyze stress management for ICU staff in hospitals.
The objectives of the research are as follows:
 To identify stress factors for staffs in the ICU in the UAE
 To analyze causes for stress in staffs in the ICU
 To recommend strategies for mitigating these issues related to stress of staffs in the ICU
The research questions has been listed below:
 What are the stress factors for staffs in the ICU in the UAE?
 What are causes for stress in staffs in the ICU?
 How these issues related to stress of staffs in the ICU can be mitigated?
3. Stress Management
3.1 Concept of Stress
As commented by Katinakis & Spronk, (2016), stress is a non-specific response of the
body in contact with any unfavorable condition. Stress is a physical and emotional response to an
experience that can create imbalance between expectations and reality. Stress is defined as the
pressure from some environment which may be workplace or family. Experiencing stress can be

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a risky procedure for an individual. The negative outcome of the stress can affect mental
condition of a human being in society (Kemper et al., 2016). In most in the case, stress acts as a
negative response of an individual to a condition. Several conditions have created conditions for
an individual for changing the mental health of an individual. Stress can come from any situation
that can affect an individual in different ways. However, stress is a normal part of life. As argued
by Bannon et al., (2018), stress can motivate people to bounce back from the unfavorable
condition in life. Various mental condition can help in maintaining the stress and recover from it.
It is important to make people understand that, the stress is part of everyone's life and
management of stress can help them to improve their personality as problem solvers and have
more control on their life as well as on their emotions. Stress can be triggered due to some
unexpected positive or negative events in someone's life. With increasing and continuous stress
at workplace, employees develop physiological and psychological dysfunctions in their attitude.
In addition to that decreased motivation due to the stress acts as a hindrance in excelling in their
career. One of the major reasons that generate stress for an employee includes hostile work
environment, increased workload, and downsizing of the organizational workforce as well as
shift. Moreover, uncertainty about job security in private organizations, interpersonal conflicts
between the employees (as well as with supervisors) at the workplace, and lack of job abilities
also reasons for occupational stress. Generic symptoms that affect people include headaches,
muscular aches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, body pains, chronic illness and most importantly
eating disorders due to the hectic work schedule.
3.2 Proposed team
Research methodology is a scientific approach that helps in providing proper approach to
complete the research. Research methodology consist of research philosophy, approach, design,

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data collection method, sample size, data analysis, limitations and ethical consideration. The
research philosophy is of two types including positivism and interpretivism. Positivism refers to
analysis of the hypothesis and scientifically methods included on the research. Positivism
depends on the true facts of the theories and models of research. On the other hand,
interpretivism is just opposite of the positivism philosophy. Therefore, the researcher will select
the positivism philosophy in this research (Taylor, Bogdan & DeVault, 2015). The research
approach is of two types including inductive and deductive approach. Deductive approach
focuses on the objectives and questions of the research (Alvesson & Sköldberg, 2017). This
helps in maintaining a correct path for the completion of the research. Inductive research does
not focuses on the objectives of the research. Therefore, the researcher have selected deductive
research approach. There are three sorts of research design including explanatory, exploratory
and descriptive research design. The exploratory research design focuses on the long-term
procedure of the research. Therefore, thus research design is linked with the inductive research
approach. Explanatory research design focuses on connecting to the different ideas and thoughts
related to the research topic (Lewis, 2015). The use of the explanatory research design helps in
identifying new techniques to be used in order to find out the factors of the stress in the staffs.
On the other hand, descriptive research design helps in providing extra detail to the research
topic. Descriptive research design will be used in this research that might help in providing a
better strategy for the completing the research on time. This research design helps in providing a
better picture of the overall research (Mackey & Gass, 2015).
3.3 Evaluation Approach
Data and information can be collected from two methods including primary and secondary data
collection method. Primary data collection method helps in collecting data form the primary

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sources including respondents in the survey. On the other hand, secondary data helps in
collecting data from the secondary data sources including online journals, books, reports and
governmental databases. The researcher will use primary data collection method in this research
for collecting data and information (Silverman, 2016).
3.4 Measures
Online survey will be conducted in order to collect raw data related to the stress management.
Online survey questionnaires are will be created using the google forms and will be uploaded
over the website (Smith, 2015). There will be 100 staffs selected as respondents for the online
survey. These staffs have been working in the ICU units of various hospitals. There will be 10
close-ended survey questions related to the stress management of staffs in the ICU will be
included in the survey questionnaires. Answers of the respondents will be taken as data and
information for the research. Qualitative data will be collected by conducting interview with
three managers of hospitals. The views and answers of the managers will be taken as data and
information for the research (Ledford & Gast, 2018).
3.5 Analysis
Data analysis is of two types’ including quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The
quantitative data analysis method refers to analysis of the data and information from the primary
sources. The qualitative data analysis data analysis method refers to the analysis of the data and
information collected from the secondary data collection method (Vaioleti, 2016). Therefore, the
researcher will use the quantitative data analysis method. The online survey questionnaires will
help in collecting data and information rejected to the stress management in the staffs of the ICU.
Data will be properly analyzed with the help of the tables, charts and graphs. The presentation of

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the results and outcomes of the analysis will be done with the help of Likert scale ranging from 1
to 5.
3.6 Ethical Consideration
However, there might be some limitations during the data collection method. Online
survey firm might not be properly filled by the respondents. The answers if the questions might
be filled haphazardly by the participants. Respondents might fill the survey form by getting
affected by the current form of the sector. Some of the participants might not provide proper
answers to each questions (Neuman & Robson, 2014). The time and budget of the research might
create a problematic situation for the researcher. The timeline for the research might be enough
to complete properly on time. However, the researcher will try to complete the research on
deadline. The budget of the research might be a problem for the researcher due to which the
researcher might be able to use advanced techniques for data analysis (Ary, Jacobs, Irvine &
Walker, 2018). The research will follow all the ethical consideration. Data and information of the
survey participants will not be revealed to anyone under the Data Protection Act 1998. The
results and outcomes of the research will not be published before the completion of the research.
4. Change Management
4.1 HSC Model
Stress management has been an important for individuals at work. The step for managing
the stress in the organization is to identify the sources and causes of stress in the organization
(Sharma et al., 2014). Various interventions needs to be taken by the organization to maintaining
and control the stress in the company. There are various techniques by which the stress can be
minimized and a change can be made using the HSC model.

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Prevention: As commented by West et al., (2016), prevention helps in addressing the
cause of the problem. The removal of the work-stressor needs to be initiated to change different
aspects of the management. However, there are various effective preventive activities based on
targeted employees. Stress can be defined as a scientific term for representing force that
constrain excessive pressure on mental condition of human being. It might result in poor quality
of care services provided to the patient. Stress negatively affect the person working in the ICU
(Oh et al., 2015).
Figure 1: Change Management for stress
(Source: Oh et al., 2015)
Timely action: Timely actions helps in improving the organization ability in the market.
The stress in the individual destroys the mental condition of the individual. Therefore, training of
managers and other high level management of the organization. The management needs to be
aware of the actions and styles of the management (Becker, Wright & Schmit, 2017). The change
in the organizational structure might help in maintaining the stress factors in the staffs of the
organization. The use of various factors in the organization helps in taking actions for the change

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in the management implications. Various policies and procedures have been implemented in the
organization for the improvement of managing policies.
Treating the effects: As commented by Manwatkar & Mathew (2016), treatment of the
employees for helping them to cope out of the stress. Some rehabilitation policies needs to be
implemented in the organization for the development of the emotional strength of staffs.
Motivation sessions needs to be implemented in the organization that might help in motivating
employees in the organization. The use of motivational factors provided by the managers of the
organization needs ti be maintained by the staffs of the organization.
As commented by Katinakis & Spronk, (2016), signs and symptoms of stress can be
depended on several factors in the external environment. There are various external and internal
factors creating stress in an individual. Stress can affect very badly to an individual. Therefore, it
is necessary to manage stress in proper way. Management of stress requires identifying signs and
symptoms of stress. This might help in minimizing serious effect of stress on the health of an
individual. There are some signs and symptoms of stress have been listed below:
Cognitive Symptoms:
 Memory Problems
 Inability or difficulty concentrating
 Poor judgment
 Seeing only the negative
 Anxious, racing, or ruminating
thoughts Constant worrying
Emotional Symptoms:
 Moodiness
 Short-tempered
 Agitation, inability to relax
 Feeling overwhelmed
 Sense of loneliness or isolation
 Depression or general unhappiness
Physical Symptoms: Behavioral Symptoms

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 Aches and pains, muscle tension
 Diarrhea or constipation
 Nausea, dizziness, or butterflies in the
stomach
 Chest pain or rapid heartbeat
 Loss of sex drive
 Frequent colds
 Shallow breathing and sweating
 Eating more or less
 Sleeping too much or too little
 Isolating yourself from others
 Procrastinating
 Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to
relax
Table 1: Signs and symptoms of stress
These signs and symptoms help in minimizing stress of an individual. These symptoms
and signs are all indications of level of stress, which is not healthy. These signs and symptoms
are necessary for maintaining the stress of an individual and providing them solution to mitigate
these stresses.

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4.2 Research Timeline
Task Name Duration Start Finish
Stress Management for ICU staff 93 days Mon 6/4/18 Wed 10/10/18
Study Initiation 11 days Mon 6/4/18 Mon 6/18/18
Study Requirements Analysis 2 days Mon 6/4/18 Tue 6/5/18
Approval of Research Topic from
Supervisor
1 day Wed 6/6/18 Wed 6/6/18
Development of Research Plan
Charter / Document
2 days Thu 6/7/18 Fri 6/8/18
Development of Research
Framework
4 days Mon 6/11/18 Thu 6/14/18
Prepare Draft Research Proposal 2 days Fri 6/15/18 Mon 6/18/18
Research Planning 21 days Tue 6/19/18 Tue 7/17/18
Formation of Research Team 2 days Tue 6/19/18 Wed 6/20/18
Analysis of Research Requirement 1 day Thu 6/21/18 Thu 6/21/18
Identification of Research
Questions
4 days Fri 6/22/18 Wed 6/27/18
Identify Scope of Research 4 days Thu 6/28/18 Tue 7/3/18
Estimate Research Timeline 4 days Wed 7/4/18 Mon 7/9/18

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Allocation of Resources and Time
for the Research
2 days Tue 7/10/18 Wed 7/11/18
Initiation of Research 4 days Thu 7/12/18 Tue 7/17/18
Research Development 26 days Wed 7/18/18 Wed 8/22/18
Determination of Research
Problems
4 days Wed 7/18/18 Mon 7/23/18
Access to Necessary Media 1 day Tue 7/24/18 Tue 7/24/18
Access to Online Library 1 day Tue 7/24/18 Tue 7/24/18
Selection of Literary Sources 2 days Wed 7/25/18 Thu 7/26/18
Literature Review 4 days Fri 7/27/18 Wed 8/1/18
Collection of Necessary Data 10 days Thu 8/2/18 Wed 8/15/18
Collection of Secondary Data 5 days Thu 8/16/18 Wed 8/22/18
Data Analysis 8 days Thu 8/23/18 Mon 9/3/18
Analysis of Primary Data 4 days Thu 8/23/18 Tue 8/28/18
Analysis of Secondary Data 4 days Wed 8/29/18 Mon 9/3/18
Research Evaluation 13 days Tue 9/4/18 Thu 9/20/18
Evaluation of Data 6 days Tue 9/4/18 Tue 9/11/18

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Reflection on Research
Undertaken
2 days Wed 9/12/18 Thu 9/13/18
Documentation of Learning
Outcomes
2 days Wed 9/12/18 Thu 9/13/18
Issues Identification and Future
Planning
5 days Fri 9/14/18 Thu 9/20/18
Research Closure 14 days Fri 9/21/18 Wed 10/10/18
Complete All Activities in
Research
1 day Fri 9/21/18 Fri 9/21/18
Documentation of Entire Research 10 days Mon 9/24/18 Fri 10/5/18
Validation of the Research and
Learning
2 days Mon 10/8/18 Tue 10/9/18
Team Sign Off 1 day Wed 10/10/18 Wed 10/10/18

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Figure 2: Gantt chart

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