Role stress and coping strategies of nurse executives.

Role stress among top level nurse executives has been linked to adverse personal effects. A study was conducted to better understand role stress and to assess the coping strategies used by top level nurse executives. The author discusses four major factors--overload, quality of care concerns, role conflict, and role ambiguity--related to role stress and ten coping strategies. Awareness of these issues can help the nurse executive to understand the job stresses inherent in the role and to use constructive methods of coping with that stress.