Evaluation of secondary traumatic stress according to the unit of health workers

This study was conducted in order to determine of secondary traumatic stress levels according to the unit where the health workers work. This descriptive study was conducted with 212 health workers. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the scale of secondary traumatic stress. There was a significant difference between the internal and surgical units in terms of the avoidance and arousal sub-dimension and total score averages, whereas there was no significant difference in the involuntary affection sub-dimension. It was found that the average score of the workers working in the internal units was higher in the total score and all sub-dimensions. In conclusion, secondary traumatic stress levels of health workers were found to be higher than the average. Secondary traumatic stress levels of those working in internal units were higher than those working in surgical units. Regardless of the unit, the secondary traumatic stress level of the health workers is high and it is thought that attempts that will reduce the stress experienced by the employees in order to prevent the symptoms related to secondary traumatic stress, that will minimize the indirect trauma reactions, are needed and new studies that will determine these attempts, should be conducted