Table of Contents
Description
This measure, (Inventory of Stressful Events) developed and validated by Motowidlo, Packard, and Manning (1986), uses 45 items to measure the frequency of stressful occurrences in a job. The instrument was originally developed for nurses and the items were derived from interviews in a variety of clinical areas in several hospitals. Thus, they contain wording specific to the hospital context. Respondents are asked to indicate how often stressful things happen in per forming a job.
Reliability
Coefficient alpha value was .88 (Fox & Dwyer, 1995; Fox, Dwyer, & Ganster, 1993).
Validity
The frequency of stressful events was positively correlated with psychologi cal distress, quantitative workload, qualitative workload, self-monitoring, and somatic complaints. The frequency of stressful events correlated nega tively with job satisfaction,job performance, and job control (Fox & Dwyer, 1995; Fox et al., 1993).
Source
Motowidlo, S. J., Packard, J. S., & Manning, M. R. (1986). Occupational stress: Its causes and consequences for job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 618-629. Items were taken from the appendix, p. 629. Copyright © 1986 by the American Psychological Association. Reprinted with permission.
Items
Respondents are asked, “How often does this generally happen to you?” Responses are obtained on a 4-point Likert-type scale where 1 = never and 4 = fairly often. Responses can also be obtained for the same 45 items asking.
the question “How stressful is or would this be for you?” and obtaining responses from 1 = not at all stressful to 5 = extremely stressful.
How often do these things generally happen to you in your job?
- You fall behind in your regular duties because you have extra work that is not part of your daily routine
- You are so busy you have to pass up a chance to talk to a patient and give him or her some emotional support
- Another nurse calls you away from important work for a trivial matter
- A patient complains to you about the food or other things not under your control
- Your head nurse or supervisor disagrees with your judgment about a patient’s treatment or condition
- A doctor is verbally abusive toward you
- You perform work that should have been done by your head nurse
- Your regular head nurse is temporarily absent from the unit when you need help
- A doctor becomes angry at you for something that is not your fault
- Your work is interrupted by delays caused by other units or departments
- You have so much to do that you have to leave some things undone
- You are unable to contact a doctor in an emergency
- You have to make an extra trip for special supplies because a doctor changed his or her mind about a medical procedure
- A doctor wastes your time by having you perform non-nursing tasks
- A doctor becomes upset with you for taking too long to do something
- Your unit is short-staffed because someone called in sick
- A doctor does not accept your suggestions regarding a patient’s condition or treatment
- Your head nurse or supervisor assigns a lighter workload to a co-worker
- A doctor contradicts hospital rules or standard nursing procedures which you were following with a patient
- A patient under your care refuses to accept medication or other treatment
- You have to explain the behavior of a doctor to a patient or the patient’s family
- A patient criticizes your nursing care
- You have to do extra work because another unit or department did not do their own work properly
- A patient becomes verbally abusive with you
- Another nurse is angry or rude with you
- You disagree with the patient care ordered by a doctor
- You see a doctor act rudely or inconsiderately toward a patient
- You see another nurse relaxing and taking it easy while you are very busy
- A patient under your care refuses to eat a meal
- Another nurse’s negligence makes it difficult for you to perform your own work properly
- Visitors are verbally abusive or rude toward a patient under your care
- Your head nurse or supervisor gives you incorrect information pertaining to patient care
- Another nurse will not fill in for you so you can take a day off
- Your head nurse or supervisor refuses your request for time off or a change in your schedule
- A patient under your care refuses to stay in bed
- A patient under your care purposely removes his or her dressings
- You have so much to do that you have to work overtime
- You need medical equipment or supplies that are not available in your unit
- A doctor publicly criticizes your nursing care
- A patient tries to harm himself or herself while under your care
- You hear another nurse complaining about the workload
- Another nurse criticizes your nursing care
- You have to use a piece of equipment or perform a nursing procedure that is new to you
- A patient’s family or visitors criticize your nursing care
- A patient reports you to a doctor or a nursing supervisor