Effect of happiness educational program on the level of stress, anxiety and depression of the cancer patients’ nurses

BACKGROUND: Nurses face a great amount of stress that can threaten their health and reduce their motivation. Nurses’ present working conditions lead to an increase in emotional pressures and depression. Conducting a study on this seems to be necessary, with regard to nurses’ stressful working conditions, in order to take steps toward achieving different and non-meditational treatments to treat their stress, anxiety, and depression and, consequently, promote nurses’ and patients’ health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a randomized clinical trial conducted on 52 nurses working in cancer patients wards, who were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Happiness educational program was administered for six sessions once a week in the study group and a communication training sessions with the patients in the control group, and DASS-42 questionnaire was completed before, immediately after, and 1 month after intervention by the subjects in both study and control groups. Data were analyzed by Chi-square, independent t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) through SPSS 18. RESULTS: Mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression showed no significant difference before and after intervention. Meanwhile, independent t-test showed that mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression were significantly lower in the study group compared to the control group immediately after and 1 month after intervention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Educational planning of happiness can reduce nurses’ depression, anxiety, and stress in the cancer patients’ wards. Psychiatric nurses can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress of nurses working in other hospitals also through application of this program.