Risk and protective factors of secondary traumatic stress in Intensive Care Units: An exploratory study in a hospital in Madrid (Spain)

Abstract

Aim: To propose a predictive model of secondary traumatic stress.

Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out.

Context: The study was conducted in the Intensive Care Units of a hospital in Madrid (Spain).

Participants: The sample comprised 103 health professionals.

Interventions: A series of questionnaires were created and completed by the participants. Network analysis and multiple regression were used for data analysis.

Variables of interest: Sociodemographic variables such as gender, years of experience and position, secondary traumatic stress, passion for work, work stressors, emotional effort, empathy and self-compassion were evaluated.

Results: The result identified the following: a) years of experience as a risk factor for compassion fatigue (β=0.224 and P=0.029), and harmonious passion as a protector (β=-0.363 and P=0.001); b) emotional effort and empathy as risk factors for shattered assumptions (β=0.304 and P=0.004; β=0.394 and P=0.000, respectively); and c), work stressors and empathy as risk factors for symptomatology (β=0.189 and P=0.039; β=0.395 and P=0.000, respectively), and years of experience as a protector (β=-0.266 and P=0.002).

Conclusions: This predictive model of secondary traumatic stress identifies protective factors which could be reinforced, such as harmonious passion, and risk factors which should be reduced, such as empathy and emotional effort, with a view to promoting quality of care and quality of life among these professionals.

Keywords: Cuidados intensivos; Emotional effort; Empathy; Empatía y esfuerzo emocional; Estrés traumático secundario; Intensive care; Pasión por el trabajo; Passion for work; Secondary traumatic stress.