Occupational stressors and coping as determinants of burnout in female hospice nurses

The importance of not labelling individuals as good and bad 'copers' was discussed, as the effectiveness of a strategy may depend on the situation. It was concluded that the investigation of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping in relation to burnout, was oversimplifying the coping-burnout relationship. Suggestions for stress management included staff training in counselling skills, monitoring staff conflict, implementing stress inoculation training to teach appropriate use of coping skills and finally, monitoring particularly vulnerable groups of hospice staff such as unqualified nursing assistants and qualified nurses in management positions. It was concluded that despite the difficult nature of hospice work, the hospice is a positive environment in which to work.