Abstract
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) like phenomenon characterized by biological, emotional, and psychosocial symptoms resulting from direct exposure to someone’s traumatic experience frequently occurring in caring-based work environment. First defined in 1995 by Charles Figley, STS is classified using the same categories as PTSD: Avoidance, hyperarousal, and intrusion. Avoidance consists of numbness to or lack of participation in usual interests and avoidance of triggers that serve as reminders of the indirect trauma experienced. Hyperarousal occurs when a person becomes highly alert or has a “fight or flight” response to a triggering experience related to a past experienced trauma. Intrusion manifests when the traumatic event replays in the mind repeatedly.
Symptoms of STS include difficulty breathing, exhaustion, poor general health, apathy, defensiveness, fear, irritability, and depression. An individual experiencing any of these symptoms as a result of direct exposure to someone’s traumatic experience are considered to have STS, although severity levels may vary.
Secondary traumatic stress is prevalent in caring-based professions, specifically in healthcare workers. Manohar et al. (n= 2,008) found 88.2% of doctors, 79.2% of nurses and 58.6% of other healthcare workers to have varying degrees of STS. Oginska-Bulik et al. found that 56.6% of their sample (n=419) showed low to moderate signs of STS symptoms, while 43.4% showed severe symptoms. Bock et al. (2020) found that 91.2% of nurses experienced secondary trauma, while 25.3% reported having symptoms of STS. Xu et al. found that 65% of emergency nurses studied experienced STS.
Research suggests a widespread frequency of STS; however, individuals experiencing STS are frequently unaware of its name or existence. The available research on how to address STS in healthcare workers is very limited, leading to significant negative consequences to those employed in healthcare. The influence of STS on turnover rates, absenteeism, poor mental health, and jeopardized patient care in healthcare is becoming clearer with increased research and awareness, but there is still a significant amount of research and education needed. The purpose of this educational research is to address the knowledge gap regarding STS by bringing awareness and education to the healthcare workplace.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Gamma Eta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Stress and Coping, Workplace Culture, Clinical Practice, Secondary Traumatic Stress, STS, Healthcare Workers
Recommended Citation
Tracy, Natalie Noel, "Closing the Gap: Educational Research on Secondary Traumatic Stress in the Healthcare Workplace" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 128.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/128
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-01
Closing the Gap: Educational Research on Secondary Traumatic Stress in the Healthcare Workplace
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) like phenomenon characterized by biological, emotional, and psychosocial symptoms resulting from direct exposure to someone’s traumatic experience frequently occurring in caring-based work environment. First defined in 1995 by Charles Figley, STS is classified using the same categories as PTSD: Avoidance, hyperarousal, and intrusion. Avoidance consists of numbness to or lack of participation in usual interests and avoidance of triggers that serve as reminders of the indirect trauma experienced. Hyperarousal occurs when a person becomes highly alert or has a “fight or flight” response to a triggering experience related to a past experienced trauma. Intrusion manifests when the traumatic event replays in the mind repeatedly.
Symptoms of STS include difficulty breathing, exhaustion, poor general health, apathy, defensiveness, fear, irritability, and depression. An individual experiencing any of these symptoms as a result of direct exposure to someone’s traumatic experience are considered to have STS, although severity levels may vary.
Secondary traumatic stress is prevalent in caring-based professions, specifically in healthcare workers. Manohar et al. (n= 2,008) found 88.2% of doctors, 79.2% of nurses and 58.6% of other healthcare workers to have varying degrees of STS. Oginska-Bulik et al. found that 56.6% of their sample (n=419) showed low to moderate signs of STS symptoms, while 43.4% showed severe symptoms. Bock et al. (2020) found that 91.2% of nurses experienced secondary trauma, while 25.3% reported having symptoms of STS. Xu et al. found that 65% of emergency nurses studied experienced STS.
Research suggests a widespread frequency of STS; however, individuals experiencing STS are frequently unaware of its name or existence. The available research on how to address STS in healthcare workers is very limited, leading to significant negative consequences to those employed in healthcare. The influence of STS on turnover rates, absenteeism, poor mental health, and jeopardized patient care in healthcare is becoming clearer with increased research and awareness, but there is still a significant amount of research and education needed. The purpose of this educational research is to address the knowledge gap regarding STS by bringing awareness and education to the healthcare workplace.
Description
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) has negative implications and influences in the healthcare workplace including increased turnover rates and absenteeism, poor mental health, and jeopardized patient care specifically due to a lack of awareness and education of the phenomenon in the healthcare community. The effects of STS can be addressed through increased awareness and education which will be provided through this presentation.