Professional Differences in the Internalization of Negative Emotional States Among Medical Workers in the NICU

• In Event: 343 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 07. Healthcare Professions I

Abstract

Despite widespread advocacy at the turn of the 21st century for medical professionals to embrace a team-based approach to medicine, this rhetoric clashes with the reality that physicians
retain unquestioned autonomy in clinical decision-making and have ultimate legal responsibility for patients. Against this backdrop, we use data from the Teamwork, Clinical Culture, and
Change (T3C) in the NICU Study (N = 252), to examine professional differences in the internalization of anxiety and distress in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Contrary to
expectations, we find that higher status occupations, including physicians and nurse practitioners, experience higher levels of anxiety and distress internalization compared to lower status
paramedical groups. Of note, we find that higher levels of work pressure among nurse practitioners explain 53% of the difference in anxiety internalization between nurses and nurse
practitioners, while lower levels of perceived social support among physicians explains 33% of the difference in distress internalization between nurses and doctors. Results challenge previous findings on status and emotional expression and point to practical changes that may reduce the internalization of psychically damaging emotions among NICU staff members.

Authors

• Matthew K. Grace, Indiana University

• Jane Schlapkohl VanHeuvelen, Indiana University