Occupational stress and job satisfaction among nurses at a tertiary care hospital

This study was conducted to find the different sources of occupational stress and the level of job satisfaction among nurses working at a tertiary care hospital. Cross sectional study. The study was conducted at Rawalpindi General Hospital from March 2005 to June 2005. The sample comprised of 50 female staff nurses working in different departments in Rawalpindi General Hospital. The sampling technique was stratified random sampling to include nurses working in various departments of hospital. Occupational stress and job satisfaction was assessed by Pressure Management Indicator in terms of Job Satisfaction, Organization, Mental well-being, Physical well-being, a 120 item self-report measure, encompassing many areas of stress evident in the workplace. Majority of the sample [74%] was working on full time whereas 26% were working on contract basis. The mean working hours in a week were 51.16 hrs + 8.98 hrs. On the scale of mental well being, which is comprised of various subscales, the mean score for resilience was 18.78 + 4.32 and for confidence level it was 10.40 + 4.19. These scores were more than the standard score which were 17.66 and 10.37 respectively. Majority of participants [70%] felt secure in their organization. Similarly 74% of participants scored more than the standard on sub scale of job satisfaction [Mean = 24.5 + 3.68]. On the scale for sources of pressure, the mean score on workload was 19.28 + 5.77, on personal responsibility the mean score was 14.04 + 2.99 and on the home/work balance the score was 19.92 + 4.36. The mean scores of participants on all these items were more than the standard scores. It appears that the nurses at a tertiary care hospital have a high index of occupational stress and majority of it generates from the administrative disorganization of the firm and less from the personal or the monitory factors

Tele-Psychiatry: answer to psychiatric rehabilitation of earthquake affected population in Pakistan

Telemedicine utilizes information and telecommunications technology to transfer medical information for diagnosis, therapy and education through images, live video and audio. Past experiences as well as research have provided us significant evidence that the psychological distress and trauma induced by a disaster is the predisposing factor not only for increase in the incidence of these psychiatric ailments but it also triggers the exacerbation and relapse of previously existing conditions. Considering the prevailing consequences of the earthquake disaster in Pakistan, psychiatric rehabilitation in AJK and Northern areas through specialized health services, can be conducted using Tele-psychiatry. It is a practical and feasible way of facilitating delivery of psychiatric consultation, especially to affected areas where psychiatric facilities are virtually non-existent. A project of tele-psychiatry is proposed in this article

Relationship between anxiety, depression, psychological well- being and quality of life in diabetic patients having Haemodialysis

To assess the relationship between anxiety, depression, psychological well-being and their association with quality of life in diabetics having haemodilysis due to renal failure and those without haemodilysis.Cross-sectional comparative study. The study was conducted at the inpatient department of Nephrology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad from March 2005 to June 2005.The sample consisted of 60 diabetic patients selected through non-probability convenient sampling technique, whereby 30 patients had haemodilysis and 30 patients were without haemodilysis. Anxiety, depression, quality of life and psychological well being were assessed with General Health Questionnaire 12 [GHQ 12], Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] and WHO Quality of Life Brief [00L BREF] respectively.The mean scores of HADS of diabetic patients with or without haemodilysis on depression dimension were 12.43 [S.D + 3.55] and 8.93 [S.D. + 4.47] respectively where the difference was statistically significant. Mean scores of patients with and without haemodilysis for anxiety were 14.00 [S.D.+ 3.454] and 7.23 [S.D + 2.763] respectively which were again statistically significant. A significant positive correlation existed between anxiety and depression as well as quality of life and psychological well-being whereas depression was inversely correlated to both psychological well-being and quality of life. The diabetic patients with haemodilysis have anxiety, depression and poor quality of life when compared to those without haemodilysis

Psycho-social stressors in patients with somatoform disorders

To identify and compare the various psychosocial stressors in patients presenting with somatoform disorders during the last one year A retrospective [ex post facto] study. The study was conducted in the Inpatient and out patient departments of the Institute of Psychiatry, Rawalpindi General Hospital, from January 2004 to April 2004. The sample consisted of 80 patients [40 male and 40 female] with somatoform disorders. Life Events Scale [LES] and Axis-IV of DSM were used as instruments to study the various psychosocial stressors. The findings suggested that female patients [M = 356.15, SD = 138.01] experience more life events as compared to male patients [M = 317.6, SD = 103.48]. There were non-significant differences between males and females in terms of problems with the primary support group, social environment and economic difficulties. However mean scores indicated that female patients [M=1.43, SD=. 87] experience more problems with primary support group as compared to males [M =2.35, SD =1.09] whereas male patients [M= 1.50, SD=. 87] have more problems with the social environment as compared to females [M=1.43, SD=. 87]. Both male [M=. 87, SD=. 88] and female [M =.75, SD=. 59] patients showed preponderance with economic problems. Majority of the patients presenting with somatization belonged to the younger age groups. Somatoform disorders were more common among housewives and in males who were unemployed. There was a significant variation within the educational status of the patients. Psychosocial stressors are important causal factors for Somatoform disorders. People having problems with the primary support group and social environment are twice likely to present with somatoform disorders