Volume 3, Issue 12, December – 2018 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Coping Strategy of High Care Unit Nurses of

Government Hospital
Indri Ramadinia, Budi Anna Keliatb, Vetty Priscillac
a
Nursing Science Program, STIKes YPAK, Padang
b
Nursing Science Program, Indonesia University, Jakarta
c
Nursing Science Program, Andalas University, Padang

Abstract:- Coping strategy is essential for nurses in individuals among others are physical health and energy,
controlling work stress. Coping strategy varies they are spiritual support, positive beliefs, problem-solving skills,
taking lessons from the situation, doing activities, such social skills, and material support 3.
as hobbies, participating actively in activities, sharing
problems with close friends, and making the difficult According to the research done by Cai, Kun, and
situation as apart of life experience. The research aimed Zhang in Renmin Hospital (2008) about stressors at work
to describe coping strategy of HCU nurses in and coping strategy of nurses for mental patients, it was
Government Hospital. Coping strategy based on feeling, found out that stress experienced by the nurses usually
diversion of situation, building self confidence, social happened when the workload increased such as when facing
support, solving problems by family, avoiding problems, terminally ill patients and death. The coping strategies used
spiritual support, relationships with friends, support by the nurses such as taking lessons from the situation,
from professionals, participating in activities, humor and doing activities such as hobbies, participating actively in
relaxation. activities, sharing problems with close friends, and making
the difficult situation as a part of life experience are more
The research was a descriptive quantitative. The effective for nurses in handling stressful situation 4. In line
respondents were HCU nurses with total sampling of 47 with it, from the research about anxiety and religious coping
nurses. The valid and reliable questionnaire was used. to emergency room and ICU nurses in Phoenix Hospital
Data was analyzed using quantitative analysis. The result Arizona (2009), it was found out that there was an influence
showed that HCU nurses used coping strategy which was of religious coping to the anxiety level felt by the nurses in
on scale of 3,07 with a range of 1-5 (SD = 0,31). HCU facing work stressor in emergency room and ICU. This of
Nurses use an average of relaxation coping strategy course, in accordance with the theory which states that belief
which was on scale of 3,34 with a range 1-5 (SD = 0,59). and positive outlook are obtained through religious media
It is recommended that nurses learn coping strategies, that each individual believes 5.
and avoid stressors through stress management
relaxation training. Coping strategy done by HCU nurses of Government
Hospital in Padang through going on vacation together,
Keywords:- Coping Strategy, Nurses, HCU Room. work rotation, religious activity, and doing exercise had only
worked temporarily. The research were conducted to find
I. INTRODUCTION out what coping strategies were used by HCU nurses in
handling work stress in Government Hospital Padang.
From the result of Indonesian National Care
Association’s research (2006), it was found out that 50,9% II. METHOD
of Indonesian nurses experienced work stress, caused by too
high and time-consuming workload, low salary, and The research design used was descriptive quantitative.
inadequate incentive1. Factors causing work stress come The research aimed to describe HCU nurses coping strategy
from three sources, which are the work itself, the in Government Hospital. The research population was all
organization, and external factors outside the work, such as HCU nurses who served in 3 HCU rooms (surgical inpatient,
environment, family, crisis events in life and others 2 . The non-surgical inpatient, and pediatric inpatient installation) of
care given to HCU patients demands high fulfillment of the Government Hospital. The sampling method was total
patients'need. The activities which are done cover valuation sampling that obtained 47 respondents. The instrument used
of patients' life-threatening condition, the care for patients to measure coping strategy was modified by the researcher
with acute critical condition who need immediate action or based on A COPE, Adolescent Coping Orientation for
critical patients, continuous hemodynamic monitoring every Problem Experiences 6.
hour, interpretation and intervention of diagnostic tests
conducted to patients, therapy according to treatment The coping strategy measurement was done using 54
program, and other actions. The complex dynamic of HCU statements involving each coping strategy which were
care and patients’ critical condition often trigger work stress. outburst = 5 statements, situation diversion = 8 statements,
Coping done by an individual to face stressful situation is building confidence = 6 statements, social support = 6
based on the coping source chosen by the individual to statements, problem-solving by family = 6 statements,
handle it. The coping sources which are usually used by avoiding problems = 5 statements, spiritual support = 3

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Volume 3, Issue 12, December – 2018 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
statements, relation with friends = 2 statements, professional A. HCU Nurses’ Characteristics
support = 2 statements, participating in activities = 4 The average age of HCU nurses was 33 years old,
statements, humour = 2 statements, and relaxation = 4 with an age range of 24 years old for the youngest and 48
statements The questionnaires were filled in using scale set the oldest. The nurses’ average year of service was 8,5
from A-SCOPE inventory which were 1 = never, 2 = years, with a range of 1 year to 26 years. The number of
seldom, 3 = sometimes, 4 = often, 5 = always. The female nurses were more than male nurses which was 74,5
assessment method used was by adding scores from the %.
statements according to the number of statements, and
making a range of 54 – 270. B. HCU Nurses Coping Strategies
The HCU nurse coping strategy describes overflowing
III. RESULTS feeling, diversion of situation, building self confidence,
social support, solving problems by family, avoiding
The result of the research consists of the nurses’ problems, spiritual support, relationships with friends,
characteristics and coping strategies. support from professionals, participating in activities, humor
and relaxation as coping strategies used by nurses HCU of
Government Hospital in Padang.

Strategi Koping Mean Median SD Min-Max

n = 47
3,07 3,09 0,31 1,80-3,34

feeling 2,18 2,60 0,55 1,36-3,30

diversion of situation 2,76 3,25 0,49 1,66-3,98

building self confidence 3,30 4,00 0,49 3,51-4,36

social support 2,76 4,00 0,49 2,60-4,17

solving problems by family 2,85 3,33 0,46 2,79-4,17

avoiding problems 1,80 4,00 0,90 1,19-2,94

spritual support 2,81 3,00 0,67 2,38-4,60

relationships with friends 2,79 5,50 0,68 1,62-3,96

support from professionals 2,43 2,50 0,90 2,06-2,79

participating in activites 3,07 3,00 0,76 2,74-3,44

Humor 2,80 3,50 0,77 2,06-3,53

Relaxation 3,34 3,25 0,59 2,62-3,72

Table 1:- HCU Nurse Coping Strategy of Government Hospital Padang 2014

HCU nurses generally used relaxation as coping strategy which was 3,34 in scale with a range of 1 – 5.

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Volume 3, Issue 12, December – 2018 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165

Table 2:- HCU Nurse Coping Strategies in Irna Non Surgery, Irna Surgery and Child Care of Government Hospital Padang 2014

The highest coping strategy was used by HCU nurses used by the nurses was humour in scale of 3,74 with a range
of surgical inpatient room which was 3,13 in scale with a of 1 – 5.
range of 1 – 5. The coping strategy used was humour in
scale of 3,74 with a range of 1 – 5. To improve coping mechanisms, family support is
needed in providing emotional support and suggestions as
IV. DISCUSSION alternative strategy based on experiences, and in persuading
to focus on other positive aspects. Beside family support,
HCU nurses generally used relaxation as a coping there must be efforts to develop coping strategy through
strategy which was 3,34 in scale with a range of 1 – 5. This activities such as finding information about the problem
data was in line with the nurses’ interview result which solving, to evaluate his/her own abilities in taking decision
stated that they instilled a sense of responsibility and and expressing feelings which cause stress, and to develop
sincerity in performing their work. If they felt tired and positive beliefs 8.
stressful, they did relaxation activities such as listening to
music, watching TV, doing sports and hobbies. Coping mechanisms is not a single occurrence because
coping involves ongoing transactions with environment, and
Coping strategies done by an individual in a stressful the process should be considered as dynamic series. Coping
situation is based on the coping source chosen by him/her to is not an effort to handle all stressful conditions because not
handle it. The coping source is a strategy which is used to all of them can be completely handled. The effective coping
help the individual determine what to do and what to retain. is the coping which helps someone tolerate and accept
The use of coping source can be adapted to the situation and stressful situation and not worry about the stress that cannot
the capability of the individual, so that the implementation be handled 9 .
can be effective. The coping source that can be used among
others are physical health and energy, spiritual support, Knowledge and intelligence are other coping sources
positive beliefs, problem-solving skill, social skill, and which enable individuals to see different ways to handle
material support 3. stress. Coping sources also include the power of ego identity
commitment to social network, cultural balance, a stable
Factors which determine coping strategy used by an system of values and beliefs, orientation of health and
individual are problem-solving focus coping in which the genetics prevention, or the power of exercise 3.
individual actively finds solution for the problem to
eliminate conditions or situations which cause stress, and According to the research by Cai, Kun, and Zhang in
emotion focus coping in which the individual involves Renmin Hospital (2008) about stressor at work and coping
efforts to handle emotion and adapts to the impact which is strategy of mental patient nurses in China, stress at work for
caused by stressful situations. The coping strategy chosen by nurses generally happened when workload increased, when
an individual depends on the person's personality traits and facing terminally ill patients and death. It was caused by
how high the stress level is 7. The highest coping strategy over anxiety during those situations. From the result, it was
was used by HCU nurses of surgical inpatient room which also found out that positive coping strategies such as taking
was 3,13 in scale with a range of 1 – 5. The coping strategy lessons from the situation, doing hobbies, participating
actively in activities, sharing problems with close friends,
and making the difficult situation as a part of life

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Volume 3, Issue 12, December – 2018 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
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SOURCE OF FUNDING

This work was thesis and private of funded.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to thank their colleague for

their contribution and support to the research. They are also
thankful to all the reviewers who gave their valuable inputs
to the manuscript and helped in completing the paper.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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