Last update:
30-Jan-2011

Bibliographic data emphasize that the health personnel of hospitals present a high level of occupational stress that often leads to the burnout syndrome. Excessive occupational stress has a negative effect on the physical and psychological well-being of hospital employees and reduces their efficiency at work. The management of occupational stress is based on a holistic approach to the working conditions, adopting large-scale synergistic strategies that permit examination of the common aspects and correlations of the multiple facets of the problem at the personal, interpersonal and organizational levels. In addition to medical surveillance, these strategies concern the work organization, work practices and work behaviour. The choice of strategy and the framework within which the interventions are developed are determined by the results of occupational stress risk analysis. This paper reviews the tools that are used for the evaluation of occupational stress, the criteria that are chosen, and the risk analysis and management strategies used for occupational stress.

Key words: Burnout, Hospital personnel, Management strategies, Occupational stress, Risk analysis.