Many Thai nurses suffer from stress

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Many nurses suffer from stress
CHULARAT SAENGPASSA
THE NATION


Krisada Sawaengdee

SURVEY FINDS 10% NEED TO RESORT TO SLEEPING PILLS, MANY FACE WORK-RELATED ACCIDENTS

BANGKOK: -- NEARLY HALF of Thai nurses suffer from high levels of work-related stress because of shifts that last more than 12 hours a day, a nationwide survey has found.

The survey also indicated that 48.3 per cent of nurses suffer from joint or muscular problems.

Conducted between 2012 and 2014 as part of the Thai Nurse Cohort Study (TNCs) project, the survey covered 18,765 nurses across the country.

"Of the respondents, 45.5 per cent said they had high levels of stress," TNCs chief Krisada Sawaengdee told a press conference yesterday.

Stress was found to be contributing to restless nights for a third of the respondents, while 8-10 per cent of them said they had to resort to sleeping pills.

"This in turn affects the delivery of their service to patients, and is also linked to work-related accidents and injuries," Krisada said.

The survey found that many young nurses got injured by syringe needles or knives, which raised their risk of contracting serious diseases from patients. In some cases, they need to take anti-retroviral drugs or tuberculosis pills as a result.

The proportion of those planning to quit their jobs is higher among the nurses who have suffered serious accidents at work.

Apart from physical risks and injuries, the survey found that a significant number of nurses were affected mentally. As many as 38.3 per cent of the respondents said they were struggling with anxiety and depression issues.

The TNCs found that under such work conditions, nurses' quality of life stood at just 0.75 out of possible 1 point - as opposed to 0.95 point among women in other professions such as teachers. This was derived from a comparable World Health Organisation index.

When divided by age, the younger group was found by the survey to have an even lower quality of life.

Of the nurses surveyed, 40 per cent were between 25 and 45 years old, some 45 per cent were over 45, while the rest were younger than 25.

Krisada said the TNCs would like to propose that nurses be kept informed of possible health threats at their workplaces, that work conditions for them be improved and that constant evaluation of the improvement be implemented.

"Better conditions may come in the form of an adequate workforce and proper protective gear," she said.

Associate Professor Jintana Yunibhand, president of the Nurses Association of Thailand, said her agency would do what it could to ensure the implementation of these proposals.

"We will also listen to the opinions of nurses across the country via a national seminar that will be held in November," she said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Many-nurses-suffer-from-stress-30253512.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-06

[ezzra]

No different than the rest of the working stiffs in Thailand and around the world, that's why

they call it work, and in this country the work of one person done by 3 people as it evident

in every large shopping place, department stores and hospital where the place is swarming

with personal, most sitting idle... this observation is from a personal experiences....

[lee b]

Put them in a hospital in the middle of Manchester, then they will understand the meaning of the word !

[MRDave]

They should try paying the Thai hospital bill now that's real stress.

[thesetat2013]

These old nurses need to quit. Relax and take an extended lifetime holiday. If anyone has a very been to a hospital overnight they would know these nurses have it easy. A patient must have a friend or family member with them in hospitals here. At least at he gov hospitals. The nurses are lazy and uncaring. I have on many occasions seen them spending half their shifts sitting in the office doing nothing bit talking to friends or playing line on their phones. They rarely make rounds to check patients and are slow when they are called for.

In other countries they have the same 12 hour shifts and actually do more work and are kinder and more friendly and fast to offer help.

The gov hospital system needs reform and retraining. I actually was told a bribe needed to be paid extra just to have the nurses care for my mother in law here. Extra money for the nurse to do her job. What a crock

[colinneil]

lee b put them in a hospital in Manchester they will know about stress bloody rubbish.

I have been in hospitals in M anchester and Khonkaen.

No comparison.

Manchester lazy moaning staff who do not care about patients only care about getting more money.

Khonkaen hospital caring considerate hard working.

I spent 7 months in hospital in Khonkaen.

I spent 1 week in hospital in Manchester, so i think i am in a position to know.

As they say in UK been there done that.

[Bluespunk]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

[metisdead]

Off topic deflection posts have been removed,

[gk10002000]

having recently spent a few weeks hanging around a hospital for long periods of time due to my Mother's illness, sadly I can't say I was surprised how wildly variable the nursing staff was. Some were pretty attentive and responsive. Some I wouldn't trust to feed my goldfish regularly. Hospitals, much like many businesses no doubt try to staff up as cheaply as possible. Nurses I think universally are always complaining about stress and their Doctor interface. Many doctors don't listen to the nurses or many nurses don't think the doctor is paying enough listening. So there are typical boss and subordinate issues. In Thailand with the social hierarchy, it is probably a bit worse for Nurses.

[BSJ]

having recently spent a few weeks hanging around a hospital for long periods of time due to my Mother's illness, sadly I can't say I was surprised how wildly variable the nursing staff was. Some were pretty attentive and responsive. Some I wouldn't trust to feed my goldfish regularly. Hospitals, much like many businesses no doubt try to staff up as cheaply as possible. Nurses I think universally are always complaining about stress and their Doctor interface. Many doctors don't listen to the nurses or many nurses don't think the doctor is paying enough listening. So there are typical boss and subordinate issues. In Thailand with the social hierarchy, it is probably a bit worse for Nurses.

I think you miss read the doctor/nurse interface. No Thai nurse would dare question a doctor or offer an opinion!

[chiang mai]

I've just spent a couple of days in the provincial hospital here in Chiang Mai and thought the nurses were very efficient and capable, I saw no evidence of them being anything other than hardworking and caring.

[thesetat2013]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

[uptheos]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

I'll have to find out who inserted my IV lines (painlessly) and gave me jabs throughout the night.

Looked like a nurse, talked like a nurse and even walked like a nurse in ridiculous white high heel clomping shoes.

[GaryB1263]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

Ridicules.

[Prbkk]

Thai nurses are terrific. Always professional and caring and certainly appear to be highly skilled. I have no experience in other asian countries but the Japanese nurses I've seen on video seem a little bit too familiar and are always taking their uniforms off.

[BudRight]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

Who gives injections then? The janitor?

[uptheos]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

Who gives injections then? The janitor?

Janitor the Jabber

[lee b]

lee b put them in a hospital in Manchester they will know about stress bloody rubbish.

I have been in hospitals in M anchester and Khonkaen.

No comparison.

Manchester lazy moaning staff who do not care about patients only care about getting more money.

Khonkaen hospital caring considerate hard working.

I spent 7 months in hospital in Khonkaen.

I spent 1 week in hospital in Manchester, so i think i am in a position to know.

As they say in UK been there done that.

Rubbish ! I am from Manchester, and have been in hospitals and worked for them as well. The staff they have should be given a medal for putting up with all the s--- they have to, and thai hospital staff dont have to put up with anything like what thay do in the UK, been there, worked there, done both in UK and TH. You are wrong 100% !!

[Bluespunk]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

You sure about that?

I mean really sure?

Even if you were right [and I'm not sure you are] we live in hope, rusty needles would be an additional bonus.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

[binjalin]

As most of us use 'private' hospitals it's not really fair comparisons. I have used private hospitals here and they are great, caring and professional - but that's what I'm paying for. How many of us use Thai 'public' hospital's? the nurses there probably are highly stressed just as in all pubic hospitals.

As for the comments on Manchester I can't comment specifically but I do have 20 years very senior hospital management experience in UK and it is very stressful I can tell you

[Lupatria]

No different than the rest of the working stiffs in Thailand and around the world, that's why

they call it work, and in this country the work of one person done by 3 people as it evident

in every large shopping place, department stores and hospital where the place is swarming

with personal, most sitting idle... this observation is from a personal experiences....

That's why jobs as security guards, parking attendants, motorbike taxi jockeys, and government officials are so popular here.

[thesetat2013]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

You sure about that?

I mean really sure?

Even if you were right [and I'm not sure you are] we live in hope, rusty needles would be an additional bonus.

every time in have seen or had an injection or blood draw in gov hospitals someone other than the nurse did it. Sent to another office or called to where patient was at

[Costas2008]

It happens that I know of a Thai nurse that works in a government hospital in Issan.

She is 41 years old and she has been working from the age of 20.

The last 10 years she has been working as an Emergency room nurse.

She usually works for 56 hours a week, sometimes more, on 8 hour shifts and that includes the night shift from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning about 3 times a week.

That does not include when she is on call and that means than she can be called at any time to accompany a patient to Khon Kaen hospital with the ambulance.

Sleeping for her consists of about 5 hours a day.

On top of that she has to care for her husband, a demanding awkward farang.

Her basic salary is 30,000 Baht a month, before tax, plus overtime.

When this nurse go home she is totally exhausted after working all these hours and having to deal with uneducated people demanding for her services because as they usually state it's them paying for her and she has to serve them and attend to their headache immediately, doesn't matter if at the moment she is sewing the wounds of another patient that has been on an accident.

I have heard many times the doctors asking her opinion on diagnosis of certain patients conditions as she's got a vast experience.

That's a little I know about that nurse, that happens to be my wife.

[thesetat2013]

My wife told me a story about a woman she knew who went to a gov hospital to deliver her baby..

When the woman got there she was given a bed. No nurse came to see her until she had dropped her water. No doctor came either. When it cane time she felt her contractions and was pushing the baby out the nurses who were supposed to be helping her deliver the baby stood back and did nothing. The woman asked them to help and was instead told they would catch thee baby when it popped out.

Now! How much of this is true I can not say. But I am in the hospitals many times a month for family and I have had to walk to the office many many times just to find the nurse to ask her to go help family because they don't reply to the call button or don't check the patients very often. I am not talking about private hospitals OK.

As for medicine by injections and blood work? Maybe they are called a nurse but they come from a department that only does this job. I would love to think that I just had a bad experience. But I have seen the same treatment many times.

[DM07]

I have the highest respect for all medical- and care- staff, all over the world!

They work hard, are mostly grossly underpaid...you name it.

Bad apples here and there.

Having said that, mark my words "all over the world", because I don't think they are stressed out more here, than anywhere else.

[thesetat2013]

It happens that I know of a Thai nurse that works in a government hospital in Issan.

She is 41 years old and she has been working from the age of 20.

The last 10 years she has been working as an Emergency room nurse.

She usually works for 56 hours a week, sometimes more, on 8 hour shifts and that includes the night shift from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning about 3 times a week.

That does not include when she is on call and that means than she can be called at any time to accompany a patient to Khon Kaen hospital with the ambulance.

Sleeping for her consists of about 5 hours a day.

On top of that she has to care for her husband, a demanding awkward farang.

Her basic salary is 30,000 Baht a month, before tax, plus overtime.

When this nurse go home she is totally exhausted after working all these hours and having to deal with uneducated people demanding for her services because as they usually state it's them paying for her and she has to serve them and attend to their headache immediately, doesn't matter if at the moment she is sewing the wounds of another patient that has been on an accident.

I have heard many times the doctors asking her opinion on diagnosis of certain patients conditions as she's got a vast experience.

That's a little I know about that nurse, that happens to be my wife.

Very good story. Emergency room nurses are special and their workload is doubled if not tripled. Not just any nurse can do this job because of the stress involved. I wish you luck in life since you already found luck in a good Thai woman

[Saan]

I recently spent a few days in a private hospital in Chiang Mai and the nurse who was looking after me was working 16 shifts.

I am sure it was not doing her any good but even more importantly how was it effecting her competence. I would think to a dangerous degree.

[Bluespunk]

Such sympathy shown by some. Hope some nurse has read them and knows who you are when giving you a jab.

You don't even know about medical care in thailand do you. To make such a comment. The nurses never give injections here.

You sure about that?

I mean really sure?

Even if you were right [and I'm not sure you are] we live in hope, rusty needles would be an additional bonus.

every time in have seen or had an injection or blood draw in gov hospitals someone other than the nurse did it. Sent to another office or called to where patient was at

Well that's your experiences, however......

[trainman34014]

My wife was a Midwife for 25 years until i told her to retire in 2008 once she had reached the minimum age for pension entitlement. I can tell you that being a Thai nurse is almost slavery, especially if they are single and/or have no children. Single women and women with no children of all ages are put upon and regularly work double shifts including night shifts. Managers are often busy running their own 'other' business and not at Hospitals for hours and days on end and when they are there they are looking after their 'friends and family' that work under them. Even when annual holidays are taken the nurses have to be careful they don't tell management that they are not going away somewhere because if they know they are at home they will call them in to cover for others sickness or other absence with no mention of overtime or replacing holiday entitlement.

In the words of my wife and her nurse friends, being a nurse in Thailand means a continuous life of work, eat and sleep and nothing more.

[Nemesis7]

Nursing is not only limited to the fact that it's a Nobel job but it's hard as well.

I can fully understand that due to the nature of their job responsibilities it can be quiet frustrating as well.

Stress is there in deed.