Working motivation and stress of professional caregivers in nursing homes [motivazione lavorativa e stress del caregiver formale in RSA]

Objective. Well-being of professional caregivers has a profound impact on the management of elderly patients in nursing homes. Aim of this paper is to investigate how potentially stressful situations affect workers of facilities for dependent patients. Methods. Fifty-one professional caregivers (15 SRN and 36 NA), of three small institutions of the Fondazione Istituto Sacra Famiglia in Cesano Boscone (MI) Italy, were involved in the study. Data were collected according to the privacy norms and using an anonymous questionnaire including socio-demographic information, the Nursing Stress Scale and the Rosemberg' Self-esteem Scale. Work loads were quantified using the Barthel Index and the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory. Student's t-test, ANOVA and Bonferroni's post hoc test were used for statistical analysis. Results. The average level of perceived stress is not high (NSS mean score 37,5 ± 13,4), and is directly related to work loads, to death management and to lack of support; the highest stress levels are registered in the Alzheimers' Unit. Self-esteem score is rather high (RSS score 57,1 ± 8,6), but significantly lower in the group working with mentally impaired patients (p < 0,001). Professional caregi-vers with children show a lower vulnerability to stress and towards conflicts in the working environment, paralleled by a higher self-esteem compared to their colleagues without children. Conclusions. The knowledge of stress determinants can help planning preventive interventions and strategies in order to avoid stress and promote better living conditions for both caregivers and patients in nursing homes.