Aim of the study

The main purpose of the study was to evaluate factors considered as stressors in the work of an operating nurse.

Material and methods

The study was conducted on a group of 90 operating nurses. The volunteers surveyed and anonymously filled in a questionnaire and two standardised scales: SES Rosenberg’s Scale of Self-Esteem in its Polish Adaptation and the Scale of Generalised Efficacy (GSES).

Results

The statistical analysis allowed us to classify the stress factors listed in the questionnaire from the least to the most burdensome operating nurses. Professional incompetence of co-workers was considered the least burdensome, with a mean value of 2.69 points. The strongest stress exertion on the operating nurses demands long-term vigilance and faultlessness (4.32 points). In each of the comparisons concerning the effect of education and seniority on the effects of stress factors, values were obtained showing no correlation between the parameters compared (p > 0.05). The average value of the GSES scale for the whole group was 30.72 ±4.05, which in the interpretation places the respondents among people with a high sense of self-efficacy. The overall SES self-assessment rate for the entire study group was also high. Its average value was 31.4 points.

Conclusions

The strongest stress factor for operative nurses was the need for long-term concentration and faultlessness. The professional experience resulting from education and seniority did not have a direct impact on reducing the incidence of factors considered stressful among the operation nurses. The examined nurses were characterised by high self-efficacy and high self-esteem.