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Nurses working at the shelter are subject to considerable stress from taking care of disaster victims in an unfamiliar environment. Common stress reactions are shown below.
* Lethargy
* Fatigability
* Lack of motivation
* Depression
* Feeling of guilt
* Irritation
* Nervousness
* Sense of fear
* Insomnia
* Exaltation/ego boost
* Resentment/distrust in human relationships
* Excessive eating
* Increased alcohol consumption
* Weight gain
* Constipation/diarrhea |
The above listed are stress reactions that may occur when an individual encounters a traumatic situation, and are often observed among frontline nurses at the shelter.
When in an extremely stressful situation, nurses can develop burnout syndrome, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), or depression.
Why do these stress reactions occur, then? The following section considers what causes these stress reactions. |
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