Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study
Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) residents often experience high levels of stress due to demanding work conditions. Understanding the specific stressors and coping mechanisms is essential for improving their well-being and the quality of patient care. Purpose: Our objective is to identify the p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Human Factors in Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772501425000089 |
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| author | Ilse Super Bijun Wang Linghan Zhang Onur Asan |
| author_facet | Ilse Super Bijun Wang Linghan Zhang Onur Asan |
| author_sort | Ilse Super |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) residents often experience high levels of stress due to demanding work conditions. Understanding the specific stressors and coping mechanisms is essential for improving their well-being and the quality of patient care. Purpose: Our objective is to identify the primary stressors ICU residents face and explore their coping mechanisms by utilizing the SEIPS framework for work system design in health care. Method: A mixed-method study was conducted involving surveys and interviews with ICU residents. Quantitative data on stress levels related to various work stressors were collected and analyzed, complemented by qualitative insights from post-study interviews. Results: Residents reported the highest stress levels, with some above moderate related to work tasks, especially stressors such as high workload and emotional challenges. Most of the reported stressors in the interviews were also classified under the “task” element of the work system model, such as very sick patient cases and coded patients. Contrastingly, coping mechanisms were mostly reported in organizational and personal domains, such as finding emotional support and advice from others. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of understanding ICU residents' stressors and coping strategies. These insights can be used to improve organizational support for stress reduction, which can enhance resident well-being. Next to that, our study explores opportunities for unutilized areas like implementing tools and technologies for stress management. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-536f84f644334e90a018a0bdad19bbab |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2772-5014 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human Factors in Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj-art-536f84f644334e90a018a0bdad19bbab2025-08-20T02:05:12ZengElsevierHuman Factors in Healthcare2772-50142025-06-01710009710.1016/j.hfh.2025.100097Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system studyIlse Super0Bijun Wang1Linghan Zhang2Onur Asan3Doctoral student, Department of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1 Castle Point Terrace, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, USAAssistant Professor, Data Science and Business Analytics, Florida Polytechnic University, 4700 Research Way, Lakeland, FL, 33805, USAAssistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5612, AZ, Eindhoven, , The NetherlandsAssociate Professor, Department of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1 Castle Point Terrace, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, USA; Corresponding author.Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) residents often experience high levels of stress due to demanding work conditions. Understanding the specific stressors and coping mechanisms is essential for improving their well-being and the quality of patient care. Purpose: Our objective is to identify the primary stressors ICU residents face and explore their coping mechanisms by utilizing the SEIPS framework for work system design in health care. Method: A mixed-method study was conducted involving surveys and interviews with ICU residents. Quantitative data on stress levels related to various work stressors were collected and analyzed, complemented by qualitative insights from post-study interviews. Results: Residents reported the highest stress levels, with some above moderate related to work tasks, especially stressors such as high workload and emotional challenges. Most of the reported stressors in the interviews were also classified under the “task” element of the work system model, such as very sick patient cases and coded patients. Contrastingly, coping mechanisms were mostly reported in organizational and personal domains, such as finding emotional support and advice from others. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of understanding ICU residents' stressors and coping strategies. These insights can be used to improve organizational support for stress reduction, which can enhance resident well-being. Next to that, our study explores opportunities for unutilized areas like implementing tools and technologies for stress management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772501425000089StressCopingIntensive care unitResidentsSEIPSPatient safety |
| spellingShingle | Ilse Super Bijun Wang Linghan Zhang Onur Asan Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study Human Factors in Healthcare Stress Coping Intensive care unit Residents SEIPS Patient safety |
| title | Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study |
| title_full | Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study |
| title_fullStr | Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study |
| title_short | Identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the ICU: A mixed-method work system study |
| title_sort | identifying stressors and coping mechanisms for residents in the icu a mixed method work system study |
| topic | Stress Coping Intensive care unit Residents SEIPS Patient safety |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772501425000089 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ilsesuper identifyingstressorsandcopingmechanismsforresidentsintheicuamixedmethodworksystemstudy AT bijunwang identifyingstressorsandcopingmechanismsforresidentsintheicuamixedmethodworksystemstudy AT linghanzhang identifyingstressorsandcopingmechanismsforresidentsintheicuamixedmethodworksystemstudy AT onurasan identifyingstressorsandcopingmechanismsforresidentsintheicuamixedmethodworksystemstudy |