The relationship between secondary traumatic stress levels of pediatric nurses and their emotional intelligence and sociodemographic factors

Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the level of secondary traumatic stress in pediatric nurses and socio-demographic & professional factors, as well as emotional intelligence.

Design and methods

This descriptive and correlational study involved 138 pediatric nurses. Data were collected using the “Sociodemographic and Professional Data Form”, “Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale” and “Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test”. Statistical analyses included Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis, Spearman correlation analysis, and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis.

Results

It was concluded that pediatric nurses' secondary traumatic stress levels were moderate. Pediatric nurses' evaluations of social support from their surroundings (p < 0.001) and their choosing the profession willingly (p < 0.05) were found to be associated with and affecting their levels of secondary traumatic stress. A low, negative significant relationship was found between the secondary traumatic stress levels and emotional intelligence levels of pediatric nurses (p < 0.05). Emotional intelligence was not found to impact secondary traumatic stress.

Conclusion

According to the results, social support from surroundings and choosing profession willingly may reduce secondary traumatic stress levels of pediatric nurses'.

Implications for practice

In order to reduce the secondary traumatic stress exposure of pediatric nurses, it has been revealed that nurses who choose the profession willingly and are happy to work in the pediatric unit should be supported, strategies should be developed to increase the social support received from the surroundings, and studies should be carried out to increase the emotional intelligence levels of pediatric nurses.