Between stress and compassion
Experiences and challenges for mental health nurses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14528/snr.2026.60.3.3361Keywords:
empathy, burnout, nursing, mental health, experiencesAbstract
Introduction: Psychiatric nurses are exposed to intense emotional stress, violence and organisational demands, which increase their risk of stress and burnout and, in turn, threaten the quality of health care. The purpose of this study was to investigate psychiatric nurses' experiences of burnout, their ways of coping with stress, and the challenges they face in providing psychiatric first aid.
Methods: A qualitative study using a descriptive–interpretive approach was conducted between June and August 2025 with a sample of seven registered nurses. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
Results: Data analysis and the grouping of codes into thematic categories identified four categories of burnout experiences (symptoms, stressors, and the impact on professional and personal life), and two categories of coping strategies for mental strain (personal and organisational). Reported symptoms included chronic fatigue, emotional exhaustion, reduced empathy, and social isolation. Key stressors comprised shift work, staff shortages, and stigma. Participants reported physical activity, contact with nature, setting boundaries between work and personal life, and support from colleagues as the main coping strategies, while highlighting the absence of supervision and insufficient training in psychiatric first aid.
Discussion and conclusion: Burnout in psychiatric nursing is closely related to the demanding nature of the work and the specific organisational conditions. Systemic changes are needed at the level of staffing standards, work organisation, regular supervision and targeted training, as these could contribute to better mental health of nurses and improved quality of care.
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