Work related stress

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RCN membership surveys continue to show that nurses and health care assistants are exposed to high levels of stressors in their jobs, particularly in terms of demands, pressure of work and organisational change.  Bullying and harassment is also a concern.

The RCN supports the Health and Safety Executive’s definition of stress:

“The adverse pressure people have to excessive pressure or other types of demands placed on them at work.”

The RCN supports the Health and Safety Executive’s Stress Management Standards and believes that they can be successfully implement when there is local engagement with staff and partnership working with RCN representatives.  The RCN has developed a good practice guide -  Work-Related Stress (PDF 1.25MB) -  for representatives to support partnership working on the implementation of the management standards.

The RCN has produced guidance on Bullying and Harassment at Work (PDF 646KB) and a resource for promoting positive working relationships in health care environments entitled Working with Care (PDF 277KB).