Korean J Occup Health Nurs.  2020 Feb;29(1):20-28. 10.5807/kjohn.2020.29.1.20.

Effects of Emotional Labor and Communication Competence on Geriatric Nursing-related Stress in Nurses Caring for Older Patients

• Nam HR
• Lee EJ
• Heo HS

• KMID: 2509010
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5807/kjohn.2020.29.1.20

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of emotional labor and communication competence on geriatric nursing in nurses-related stress in nurses caring for older patients.
Methods
The sample consisted of 147 general hospital nurses. Data were analyzed through the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression.
Results
The factors of emotional labor (β=.38, p<.001)and positive communication competence (β=-.20, p=.021) had the greatest influence on the level of stress related to geriatric nursing in nurses caring for older patients. The total explanatory power was 20.3%.
Conclusion
It was found that emotional labor and communication competence were influencing factors in the stress related to geriatric nursing. Therefore, to improve nurses’ stress related to geriatric nursing, strategies to manage the emotional labor, and to strengthen and develop positive communication competence need to be developed.

Keyword

Emotional stress; Communication; Older; Nursing care