Stress and coping. A model for the workplace.

Stress, both positive and negative, is a part of personal and work life. Some stressors in the work environment are so extreme they cause strain to all employees. Such conditions require immediate response by employers to change the work environment. However, understanding most workplace stress requires an approach examining the fit between the individual and the work. Only by holistically examining the relationships between the worker's characteristics and the job's characteristics can successful intervention strategies be planned and implemented. Once occupational and environmental health nurses have completed an occupational stress assessment they can plan primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to meet the specific needs of the employees and the organization.