Understanding the nature and impact of occupational stress on Australian rural aged care workers

This study explored the nature and impact of occupational stress on direct-care workers employed by aged care providers in rural Australia. The Job demands–Resources (JD-R) model of occupational stress provided the theoretical framework to guide this qualitative investigation. A series of four FGs were conducted with direct-care workers (n = 23), who reported their job demands, job resources and personal resources. Direct-care workers identified six themes related to job demands: time pressure, physical demands, hindrance demands, an inadequate mix of staff, insufficient training to deal with complex conditions and work schedule demands. Four themes related to job resources were identified: collaboration with colleagues, equipment, opportunities for development and work schedule control. Disposition and self-care were identified as necessary personal resources for aged care workers. While the generic JD-R questionnaire captures many relevant workplace characteristics, further investigations with this work group should also consider the inclusion of items related to shift work, disposition and self-care.