Stress and psychological safety in healthcare profesionals: current findings and intervention approaches

<p>Healthcare professionals face stress from many sources such as high workload, time pressure, emotional intensity and organizational stressors. In this review, the main factors that cause stress in healthcare professionals are discussed within the framework of workload and long working hours, relationships with patients and their relatives, institutional structures and the effects of crisis periods such as pandemics. The psychological effects of stress at the individual level are examined under the titles of burnout, anxiety, depression and decreased job satisfaction. The concept of psychological safety, which is one of the focal points of the study, is defined both theoretically and its importance in the field of healthcare is discussed. In addition, the relationship between psychological safety and stress levels is revealed and the role of this concept as a protective factor is emphasized. The last section includes suggestions to support the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals. In this context, suggestions are presented regarding the regulation of workload and working hours, provision of psychological support services, increasing education and awareness studies, supportive leadership practices, construction of safe working environments and improvements that can be made at the policy level. This review draws attention to the need to strengthen psychological safety for the protection of mental health of healthcare professionals and the provision of sustainable healthcare services.</p>