Stress and Harassment among Theatre Nurses at the University Teaching Hospital in Zambia

Background: The study was undertaken to determine whether occupational stress is a problem among theatre nurses in Zambia.
Methods: A total of 75 theatre nurses where asked to answer a self administered questionnaire on stress.
Results: Nearly all (98%) of the nurses admitted to stress being a major problem in their job. The major causes of stress were identified as being low pay, heavy work load and the surgeons. Overall, 84% of them felt that the single main source of stress was low pay while 29% attributed their stress to the surgeons as being their major cause of work place stress. Personal harassment by the surgeons was reported by 75% of theatre nurses. The nurses identified verbal abuse by surgeons to be the main form of stress experienced. Sixty eight percent of nurses said that stress had resulted in some form of physical illness.
Recommendation: More emphasis in surgical training programs is required on etiquette and attitude towards theatre staff. The Medical Council and Surgical Society should take a more active in educating surgeons and protecting nursing staff in order to reduce work place stress.